US‑Israel Strikes on Iran Escalate, Civilian Death Toll Surges
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US‑Israel strikes begin, killing Iran’s supreme leader – The first coordinated attacks launched on 28 February targeted Iran’s leadership and military infrastructure; Israel’s military said the former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in Tehran, and the US military reported eliminating 16 mine‑laying Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz as the conflict entered its twelfth day[1].
Civilian casualties exceed 1,200, children heavily affected – The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) counts 1,262 civilian deaths since 28 February, including at least 200 children, while the US Department of Defense confirms seven American service members have been killed in the fighting[1].
BBC Verify confirms hundreds of attacks and key site damage – Visual evidence compiled by BBC Verify shows at least 132 attacks across Iran, 62 of them in Tehran, and the US claims to have struck 5,500 targets; satellite imagery reveals damage to the Natanz nuclear facility, three missile sites, and four oil installations have been hit[1][3].
Iranian naval and air assets suffer major losses – BBC Verify identified at least 11 Iranian naval vessels damaged or destroyed at the Konarak and Bandar Abbas bases, and the US later announced it has destroyed a total of 60 Iranian ships; damaged aircraft were also observed at Tehran’s Mehrabad airport[2][1].
Gulf states and Lebanon endure retaliatory missile and drone attacks – Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE reported missile and drone strikes, with Dubai airport hit twice and four people injured; Bahrain’s drone attack injured 32 civilians and sparked a fire at its largest oil refinery; Hezbollah fired missiles toward Israel, and Lebanon’s health ministry says 570 people have been killed since the Israeli offensive began[1].
War expands beyond region with ship sinking and Cyprus drone strike – A US submarine sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka, killing more than 80 crew members, and a UK airbase in Cyprus was struck by a drone that British officials attribute to Hezbollah forces operating from Lebanon[1].
- US military – Stated it had “eliminated” 16 mine‑laying Iranian ships in the Strait of Hormuz[1].
- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) – Reported “approximately 3,400 strikes” had been carried out and that more than 150 Iranian defence systems were disabled[1].
- BBC Verify‑consulted experts – Told the outlet the munition that struck the Minab school was a US‑made Tomahawk cruise missile[4].