Iran’s Civilian Death Toll Exceeds 1,000 Following American-Israeli Airstrikes
A human rights monitoring group reports that over 1,000 civilians have lost their lives in the initial days of U.S. and Israeli airstrikes in Iran, as the swiftly escalating conflict extends throughout the region.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), based in the U.S., has reported that at least 1,097 civilians have lost their lives and over 5,000 individuals have sustained injuries since the bombing campaign commenced early Saturday morning. The organization reports that among the casualties, there are 181 children under the age of 10.
HRANA reported that they are currently reviewing and verifying an additional 880 deaths.
A significant series of air assaults commenced, focusing on various sites throughout Iran. Officials in Iran have confirmed that the operation resulted in the deaths of several senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, as well as high-ranking military and political figures.
Verifying the civilian casualty figures independently has proven to be challenging. International media outlets, including TIME, have struggled to independently confirm the entire toll reported by HRANA.
The Pentagon indicated on Wednesday that the campaign is still ongoing. In statements made to the press, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth indicated that American forces would escalate the bombardment.
“Our warfighters possess the highest level of authority, personally granted by the president and myself,” Hegseth stated. “Our rules of engagement are daring, exact, and crafted to empower American strength, not constrain it.” The fight was never intended to be an equitable contest. It is an uneven battle. We are taking advantage of their vulnerability, which is precisely how it ought to be, as it allows us to maintain a strategic advantage in this conflict.
Israel’s military has also declared further operations. On Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced that it had initiated “broad-scale strikes aimed at Iranian terror regime targets in Tehran.”
Footage shared online displayed a series of explosions throughout the Iranian capital. Iran’s state television announced that a mourning ceremony for Khamenei has been delayed because of the ongoing attacks.
HRANA reported that recent airstrikes targeted various locations from March 2 to March 3, affecting military bases, residential neighborhoods, and medical facilities. The group indicated that there was damage to Shohada Hospital in Sarpol-e Zahab and a field hospital in Salas-e Babajani.
Questions regarding civilian casualties were directed by officials from U.S. Central Command to previous statements made by Admiral Brad Cooper, the commander of CENTCOM.
“We’ve only just started,” Cooper stated in a video shared on social media. He noted that U.S. forces had targeted nearly 2,000 locations within the initial 100 hours of the operation.
At the same time, the violence is extending beyond Iran. Health officials in Lebanon reported that Israeli strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least 72 individuals and have compelled over 83,000 residents to evacuate their homes.
Iran has initiated retaliatory strikes throughout the region. Missile strikes aimed at U.S. bases and diplomatic locations in the Middle East, as well as civilian regions in Israel and Gulf nations, have resulted in the deaths of at least 11 individuals in Israel and three in the United Arab Emirates. Since the conflict began, there have been reports of six U.S. service members who have lost their lives.
