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Rabat – The death toll in Iran from ongoing US and Israeli attacks has risen to 1,230 since Saturday, according to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. Meanwhile, the war continues to expand across the region and trigger escalating regional tensions.
Iranian authorities said Washington and Tel Aviv were deliberately targeting civilian areas. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the attacks were aimed at inflicting “maximum suffering and loss of life” on the population.
The attacks have increasingly spilled beyond Iran’s borders, with Gulf countries continuing to report intercepting missiles and drone attacks. Explosions were heard over Doha on Thursday as air defence systems intercepted missiles and drones believed to have been launched from Iran. Authorities in Qatar issued an “elevated” threat alert as the interceptions continued across the capital’s skies.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes struck several locations in Lebanon, including the towns of Harouf and Kfar Rumman in the south. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Israeli attacks across the country since Monday have killed at least 77 people and injured more than 500, with additional casualties reported on Thursday.
Iran also claimed to have targeted US assets in the region. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it inflicted significant damage on US military sites in Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
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Iranian forces also said they targeted an American oil tanker in the Gulf, while a separate incident in Khor al-Zubair in Iraq damaged a tanker and caused an oil spill after a boat strike.
The war has also reached the South Caucasus. Azerbaijan reported that drones launched from Iran struck the Nakhchivan International Airport and landed near a school in a nearby village, injuring two civilians. Baku summoned Iran’s ambassador and demanded an explanation.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte described the situation as “serious” after a missile approaching Turkish airspace was intercepted by NATO defences. However, he stressed that NATO members were not considering invoking Article Five, which treats an attack on one member as an attack on all.
The war has disrupted maritime security and drawn new countries into the crisis. Sri Lanka said another Iranian naval vessel had approached its territorial waters after a separate Iranian warship was destroyed earlier this week.
Despite the widening war, major powers, especially those allied with Iran, have stopped short of direct intervention. Both Russia and China have condemned the attacks on Iran as violations of international law but have not indicated any plans for military involvement.
Analysts say the strikes may be strengthening domestic support for Iran’s leadership. Tehran-based researcher Abas Aslani said many Iranians appear to be “rallying around the flag” amid the attacks rather than turning against their government.
