“As of this morning, Israeli attacks have claimed the lives of over 400 defenceless Iranians and left 3,056 others wounded by missiles and drones,” health ministry spokesman Hossein Kermanpour said in a post on X.
Several “powerful explosions” were heard in the afternoon in southwestern Iran’s Ahvaz, the daily Shargh reported, as Israel’s military said it was conducting strikes on “military infrastructure” in the area.
Ahvaz is the capital of Khuzestan province, which lies on the Iraqi border and is Iran’s main oil-producing region.
“Fighter jets are currently striking military infrastructure in southwestern Iran,” the Israeli military said in a statement.
The country’s military also said it had killed a top Iranian official in charge of military coordination with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as well as two other Iranian commanders overnight.
Earlier, Israeli rescue services said an Iranian “drone strike hit a two-storey residential building in northern Israel” following a wave of attacks reported by the military.
Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Istanbul for a meeting with regional diplomats to discuss Tehran’s conflict with Israel.
Around 40 diplomats are due to join the weekend gathering of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, as Israel and Iran continue to exchange attacks. (AFP)
