As hostilities intensify between Iran and Israel, Tehran reports mounting civilian casualties while warning of a massive retaliation. Israel, meanwhile, remains firm on dismantling Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
In a dangerous escalation of conflict, Iran’s health ministry on Sunday reported that ongoing Israeli airstrikes over the past three days have killed at least 224 people and left more than 1,200 injured. The strikes, which have targeted key military and nuclear sites across Iran, have pushed tensions between the two nations to a new and volatile level.
According to Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for Iran’s health ministry, “After 65 hours of aggression by the Zionist regime, 1,277 people have been injured. 224 women, men and children have been martyred.” He further added that 90 percent of the casualties were civilians, underscoring the severe impact of the strikes on the general population.
Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard confirmed that several senior military officials were among those killed. The list includes Iran’s intelligence chief Mohammad Kazemi and two high-ranking generals, along with several top military advisors and nuclear scientists, all of whom were reportedly key figures in Iran’s defense and nuclear programs.
On the Israeli side, authorities have reported that 14 people have lost their lives since Friday’s retaliatory strikes began, while at least 390 others have sustained injuries as hostilities continue unabated.
In response to international scrutiny, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended his government’s military offensive during an interview with Fox News. Netanyahu stated that Israel’s operations were essential to neutralize what he described as existential threats posed by Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
“We’re geared to do whatever is necessary to achieve our dual aim, to remove … two existential threats – the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat,” Netanyahu said. He also stressed that Israel’s actions were not only for its own protection but for global security: “We can’t have the world’s most dangerous regime have the world’s most dangerous weapons.”
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