‘Head of the snake cut off’: US says it destroyed Iranian Revolutionary Guard headquarters
Iran has vowed to avenge the death of its Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed by Israeli strikes during the joint US-Israel military operation last week. After confirming Khamenei’s death on Sunday, Iran carried out retaliatory strikes across the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain, escalating West Asia tensions further.
As the conflict brings the region closer and closer to a full out war, something Iran warned the US and Israel of, US President Donald Trump has stated that the bombing of Iran is expected to continue for at least another week.
Axis of Resistance in place as conflict spreads
The conflict has now spilt over to Lebanon as well after militant group Hezbollah, which is part of Iran’s “axis of resistance”, launched rocket and drone attacks against a military base near Haifa in northern Israel.
“The resistance leadership has always affirmed that the continuation of Israeli aggression and the assassination of our leaders, youth and people gives us the right to defend ourselves and respond at the appropriate time and place,” said Hezbollah in a statement. Israel has launched retaliatory strikes and has hit the Lebanese capital of Beirut.
This escalation comes after Israel and Hezbollah reached a ceasefire agreement in November 2024.
In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels have pledged to resume attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes and Israel. The last time the Houthis targeted the Red Sea was during Israel’s war on Gaza and attacked US, Israel flagged ships along with any other ship which had allied itself with Israel during 2023 to 2024.
Death toll increases
The death toll across West Asia has increased. In Iran, Iranian state media, citing the Red Crescent, said at least 201 people have been killed and more than 700 injured in the ongoing strikes. Of this around 115 were killed in Minab when a girls’ school was targeted by the US, Israel military strike.
Meanwhile, three American service members were killed and five others seriously injured during the US attacks on Iran, the US military announced on Sunday.
In the UAE, three people, one Pakistani, one Nepalese and one Bangladeshi were killed in the attacks in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
In Israel, around nine people have been killed due to Iranian strikes across the region. In Iraq, two people have been killed and one person died in Kuwait.
As the conflict spreads and bombing to continue, the death toll is expected to increase.
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