US Strikes Kill 14 in Iran as Fighting Escalates After Ceasefire Collapse
At least 14 people have been killed and 78 others injured following US airstrikes on five Iranian provinces over the past two days, according to Iran’s Ministry of Health.
Hossein Kermanpour, head of the ministry’s Public Relations and Information Center, said the attacks were carried out on July 8 and 9 and affected five provinces across Iran.
According to the ministry, 47 of the injured remain hospitalised, while the remaining victims have been discharged after receiving medical treatment.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that three people were killed in an airstrike near the southwestern city of Ahvaz, citing Khuzestan Province Deputy Governor for Security Affairs Valiollah Hayati.
The latest casualty figures come amid renewed military confrontation between the United States and Iran, following the collapse of a ceasefire reached last month.
The escalation began after Washington accused Iran of attacking three commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. In response, the United States launched multiple waves of strikes targeting Iranian military installations along the country’s southern coast.
According to US Central Command (CENTCOM), more than 170 military targets were struck over two days. The targets reportedly included air defence systems, coastal surveillance facilities, missile and drone infrastructure, naval assets, and sites linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
US officials said the operations were intended to deter further attacks on international shipping in the strategically important Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has since responded by launching drone and missile attacks against what it claims are US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, further increasing tensions across the Middle East.
The two countries had previously agreed to a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding on June 17, aimed at ending hostilities and paving the way for a lasting peace agreement.
However, on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump announced that the memorandum was “over,” effectively ending the agreement and marking a return to direct military confrontation between the two countries.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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