The Middle East is currently engulfed in conflict.
After the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, war has spread throughout the Middle East. Israel and the United States are carrying out intense attacks on Tehran. In response, Iran is also carrying out missile and drone attacks on Israel and various countries in the Middle East. In the meantime, the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah has attacked Israel in retaliation for the assassination of Khamenei. After that, Israel launched a massive attack on Lebanon.
Israel and the United States began attacking Iran last Saturday. Yesterday, Monday, was the third day of the war. So far, in addition to Iran and Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Iraq and Cyprus have been attacked. This has also affected neighboring countries, meaning that almost the entire Middle East is at war.
Huge damage has been caused in the retaliatory attacks. At least 555 people in Iran have been killed as of yesterday, according to the country's Red Crescent. Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed responsibility for the attack on the residence and office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Ten people have been killed in the Iranian attack in Israel so far yesterday. In addition, four US soldiers have lost their lives.
Iran and Israel were involved in a 12-day conflict in June last year. The United States also joined in. This time, Israel is attacking more intensely, a source told Reuters. US President Donald Trump told reporters at the White House yesterday that the war could last four to five weeks. He also said that the operation could continue for longer if necessary.
Earlier this year, a large number of people were killed in anti-government protests in Iran during the beginning of this year. Now Iran is facing losses from Israeli and US attacks. Morteza Segidi, a resident of the country's Tabriz city, told Reuters, "They (the United States-Israel) are killing children. They are attacking hospitals. Is this the democracy that Trump wants to give us?
Tehran is shaking from the explosion
The United States has named Iran's ongoing operation 'Operation Epic Fury'. And Israel has named it 'Lion Roar'. From Saturday to yesterday, Israel and the United States have attacked 131 cities in Iran. However, last Sunday, the Israeli forces first claimed to have attacked the heart of the capital Tehran. The city was shaken by the sound of explosions last night.
According to Iran's Tasnim News Agency, Israel and the United States are attacking civilian installations as well as military installations. For example, Iranians gathered to protest the attack near Tehran's Revolution Square yesterday. Israel bombed the square itself. In addition, more than 20 Iranians were killed in the Israeli attack on the city's Nilofar Square.
Iranian lawmaker Fatemeh Mohammad Beg said that nine hospitals in Tehran were attacked. The US Central Command also claimed to have destroyed the IRGC headquarters. Reza Najafi, Iran's ambassador to the United Nations Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said that the attack on Iran's Natanz nuclear facility was carried out on Sunday. Yesterday, there was also an explosion near the country's Isfahan nuclear facility.
Trump told CNN that 49 Iranian leaders were killed in the three-day attack by the United States and Israel. Yesterday, Israeli forces claimed to have killed two more Iranian officials, Saeed Yahya Hamidi and Jalal Pour Hussein. Khamenei's wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh, who was injured in the attack, has reportedly died. The Red Crescent said that at least 555 people have been killed in Iran so far. Of these, 180 were killed in the attack on an Iranian girls' school alone.
War spreads to Lebanon
There are various armed groups supported by Tehran in the Middle East. One of them is the Lebanese Hezbollah. The group was involved in a conflict with Israel during the Palestinian invasion of Gaza. At that time, they were also weakened. This time, Hezbollah launched missile and drone attacks on Israel to avenge the assassination of Khamenei. Israel is also targeting the group.
The Israeli army said that they carried out airstrikes on various Hezbollah targets in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital Beirut. In this, the group's intelligence chief Hussein Macleod was killed. Preparations are also being made to launch a ground operation in the country. Israeli army spokesperson Effie Defrin said that about 100,000 reservists have been prepared for the attack on Lebanon.
Beirut said 52 people were killed and 154 injured in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, with many people fleeing the southern Lebanese town of Al-Abbasiyeh. More than 28,500 people have been displaced from eastern Lebanon and the southern outskirts of Beirut due to Israeli bombardment, according to the country's disaster management agency.
Post a Comment