Iran says over 600 killed in Israeli strikes in 12 days
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While details of the attacks remain contested, Iran is positioning the violence as part of a broader campaign against its sovereignty.
Iran’s Health Minister, Mohammad Reza Zafarghani, has claimed that at least 606 people have been killed and more than 5,000 injured in Israeli strikes on Iranian territory since 13 June.
He reported that over 100 deaths have been recorded in just the past 24 hours, marking the deadliest single-day toll since hostilities began.
According to the BBC, the figures, reported by Iranian state media, come amid rising regional tensions following Iran’s response to what it calls “criminal aggression” by the United States and Israel.
While details of the attacks remain contested, Iran is positioning the violence as part of a broader campaign against its sovereignty.
In a related development, Iran’s Foreign Ministry sought to distance neighbouring Qatar from Monday’s drone and missile assault on the US-run Al Udeid Air Base in the Gulf state.
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baqai said the attack was a “legitimate act of self-defence” by Iran and had “nothing to do with Qatar.”
“Iran remains fully committed to its good-neighbourliness policy with respect to the State of Qatar and other neighbouring countries,” Baqai said on social media platform X.
“We will not allow US and Israeli aggression to sow division between us and our brotherly neighbours.”
In the Iranian capital, Tehran, pro-government supporters were seen taking to the streets in cars and on motorcycles, waving the national flag and blasting patriotic music from speakers, a show of defiance amid uncertainty. However, not all Iranians appear convinced by the government’s posture.
One Tehran resident told BBC Persian he believed the recent ceasefire announcement was a strategic ploy by Israel and the US.
“They’re trying to flush out Khamenei. There’s no ceasefire without calculation. The US and Israel never act without a reason,” he said, expressing scepticism that the worst was over.
The situation remains fluid, with both diplomatic efforts and military posturing intensifying. Analysts warn that without immediate de-escalation, the conflict could spiral further, drawing in more regional and global actors.
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