As massive tensions escalate between Iran and the United States-Israel coalition, the death toll across the Islamic Republic has climbed to 555, the Iranian Red Crescent said on Monday.
“Following the Zionist-American terrorist attacks carried out in various regions of our country, 131 cities have been affected to date and, regrettably, 555 of our compatriots have been killed,” the Iranian Red Crescent wrote on Telegram.
With rising death toll and increasing damage, Israel and the United States also pounded targets in Iran as the conflict between the two sides continued for the third straight day. Follow live updates on US-Iran war
US-Israel and Iran trade strikes
Meanwhile, in fresh strikes, Iranian forces fired missiles at Israel and Arab states, hitting the US embassy in Kuwait on Monday, reported news agency AP.
Visuals showed fire and smoke rising from the US embassy compound in Kuwait City, with the country’s defence ministry saying that ‘several’ American warplanes had also crashed in the country.
The strikes came shortly after the US issued a warning to its citizens in Kuwait to take cover and for others not to head towards the embassy.
Kuwait’s defence ministry said some pilots had been taken to the hospital and were currently stable. It has not issued a statement on the cause of the strikes or on the aircraft involved.
US military did not comment on the attack. On the other hand, Iran’s ambassador to the UN nuclear agency alleged on Monday that US-Israeli airstrikes have targeted Iran’s Natanz nuclear enrichment site.
Israel and the US have not acknowledged strikes at the site, which America bombed back in the 12-day war between Iran and Israel in June.
Iran’s Ambassador to the International Atomic Energy Agency, Reza Najafi, told journalists he condemned what he called the “unlawful, criminal and brutal” attacks by the US and Israel against Iran.
“Again they attacked Iran’s peaceful safeguarded nuclear facilities yesterday,” he said. “Their justification that Iran wants to develop nuclear weapons is simply a big lie.” When asked which site he was referring to, Najafi responded: “Natanz.”