US, Israel and Gulf countries report deaths and injuries in Iranian counterattacks
Iran launched attacks against Israel and US allies in the Gulf this Sunday (1st), in response to the death of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The offensive comes at a time when the US and Israel are carrying out a high-risk military campaign that, according to analysts, could turn into a long war, with no clear end in sight.
Iranian authorities say Khamenei’s assassination will not change the country’s stance. National security chief Ali Larijani said an interim committee will lead Iran until a new leader is chosen and promised to attack Israeli and American targets “with a force they have never experienced before.”
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Other soldiers suffered minor shrapnel injuries and concussions and are in the process of returning to duty,” the command said in a social media post.
According to the Pentagon, three US service members died in combat and five were seriously injured. Central Command did not say where the deaths occurred, only that other soldiers had “minor shrapnel and concussion injuries” and were expected to return to duty.
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This Sunday, new Iranian missile launches hit Israel and forced a large part of the population to take shelter in protected locations. The Israeli ambulance service reported that nine people were killed and almost 30 injured in Beit Shemesh, a city about 30 km from Jerusalem — the deadliest attack in Israel since the start of the conflict.
Explosions were also reported in Qatar, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates as those countries’ air defenses attempted to shoot down Iranian drones. In Kuwait, one person died and more than 30 were injured, according to the local Ministry of Health.
The Israeli Army claims that its air force has returned to bombing “the heart of Tehran”. Verified videos show two large columns of smoke over the Iranian capital during the attacks.
The Washington-based human rights group HRANA says at least 133 civilians were killed and 200 injured in the bombings. Official Iranian media say dozens of children died at a girls’ primary school near a naval base. US and Israeli militaries did not comment, and the numbers have not been independently confirmed.
The region is still trying to understand the extent of the consequences of the escalation that began on Saturday, with a joint surprise attack by the US and Israel on Iran, followed by President Donald Trump’s announcement that the ayatollah had been killed.
Part of the Iranian population celebrated the end of Khamenei’s authoritarian regime, with celebrations in the streets. At the same time, the leader’s death opened a period of strong uncertainty about the country’s future. The expectation in Washington and Jerusalem is that attacks on the regime’s leadership, military and Iranian missile program will reduce Iran’s ability to react – but a weakened country can also act in a more unpredictable way.
