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US, Israel Intensify Airstrikes on Tehran; Iran Claims Civilian Casualties and Vows Retaliation
Intensified Airstrikes on Iran's Capital Tehran
Conflict is escalating as the United States and Israel intensify airstrikes on Iran's capital, Tehran. Overnight, airstrikes occurred near Mehrabad Airport and in at least eight other areas in Tehran, with other major cities such as Bandar Abbas, Shahrekord, and Ahvaz also being hit. The Israeli military claims to have targeted military command centers, but the Iranian Red Crescent Society stated that residential buildings were struck, with rescue teams searching through the rubble.
Civilian Casualties and Iran's Warning of Retaliation
The Iranian Red Crescent Society reported that over 1,300 civilians were killed in these airstrikes, and civilian infrastructure including hospitals, schools, and oil depots were destroyed. Iran's ambassador to the UN accused the US and Israel of deliberately targeting civilians. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that it had carried out retaliatory attacks on Israeli territory, including Tel Aviv, claiming to have used advanced hypersonic long-range missiles such as the 'Khorramshahr-4' and 'Kheibar'.
Escalating Conflict and International Concerns
These airstrikes are reported to be the most intense attacks since the start of the war. The US Secretary of Defense had already warned of 'the strongest day of attacks' against Iran, and the US military stated that it had destroyed 16 Iranian mine-laying vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. This exchange of blows between the two sides has maximized tension in the Middle East, amplifying international concerns that it could escalate into a full-scale war.
*Source: YouTube: Al Jazeera English (2026-03-11)*
