The Iranian Red Crescent confirmed Saturday evening that at least 201 people have been killed and 747 wounded in a massive, coordinated aerial assault by the United States and Israel. According to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), they termed the mission the “largest strike sortie” in the entire history of the Israeli Air Force, where about 200 fighter jets struck nearly 500 targets across 24 of the 31 provinces of Iran. The scale of operation is unprecedented. It was just that when the strikes which started in the early morning hours struck a large array of Iranian military installations.
The main objectives, the IDF added, were:
- Missile Arrays & Launchers: Precision missile strikes that are targeted toward destroying Iran's ballistic missile system in western and central Iran.
- Air Defense Systems: Systematic destruction of S-300s and of the Bavar-373 batteries to ensure total air superiority.
- Command Centers: The compound of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was reported to be heavily damaged in downtown Tehran, although there is no information available regarding his current location.
The Human Cost
The military says the strikes were precision-based, but the Iranian state news agency (IRNA) reported scores of civilian casualties. Perhaps the most tragic was a strike in Minab that reportedly struck an elementary school and killed 85 schoolgirls. Two students died in a strike near the university district in Tehran, the official said. “The Red Crescent is on the alert mode at the moment,” Iranian officials say, highlighting that hospitals in cities such as Isfahan and Tabriz were at full tilt for the hundreds of wounded.
Retaliation and Consequences for Region
Iran replied to the incursion with waves of missiles and so-called suicide drones flying into U.S. and allied assets throughout the Gulf.
- Bahrain: The U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet headquarters was hit and evacuations were triggered.
- UAE & Qatar: Interceptions were reported over Abu Dhabi and Doha. One fatality occurred in the UAE amidst debris.
- Israel: Northern Israel is under heavy fire, with sirens going off across Galilee. The Iron Dome intercepts incoming projectiles from Iranian territory.
President Donald Trump called on the Iranian people in his video address to "take over your government," letting them know the goal of the strikes isn't simply military breakdown but potential regime change.
