Renewed US-Iran strikes raise civilian casualty concerns after Iran reports 18 deaths, including four people killed at a wedding near the Strait of Hormuz.
Cairo/Washington: Renewed fighting between the United States and Iran has intensified concern over civilian casualties and raised fears that the conflict could expand across the Middle East.
Iranian Health Minister Mohammad-Reza Zafarghandi said 18 people were killed and 108 wounded in the latest wave of US strikes across Iran. These figures were reported by Iranian authorities and have not been independently verified.
The Iranian Red Crescent said one strike hit a wedding ceremony in Kuhestak, near the Strait of Hormuz, killing four people and injuring at least 67. Iranian state media identified the victims as two women and two children, aged four and 16. An earlier provincial report listed five deaths, but that figure was later revised without explanation.
US Central Command said its operations targeted Iranian military infrastructure, including radar systems, air-defence facilities and maritime assets. A CENTCOM spokesperson said the American military does not target civilians and was examining reports about the wedding incident.
Iran launches retaliatory attacks
Following the American strikes, Iran launched missiles and drones towards US military facilities and regional allies in Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait and Iraq.
Kuwait reported another round of missile and drone attacks early Thursday, saying its air-defence systems intercepted the incoming threats. Bahrain also said it had intercepted Iranian attacks.
Iran maintains that its operations constitute self-defence and retaliation for US attacks on its territory. Several Gulf states, however, have condemned Tehran’s actions as violations of their sovereignty and threats to regional security.
The exchange represents the most serious escalation since fighting subsided in July. Diplomatic efforts during the intervening period failed to produce a lasting ceasefire or broader agreement.
UN calls for immediate halt
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed alarm over the reported civilian deaths, particularly the strike that allegedly hit the wedding.
His spokesperson said the UN chief condemned all attacks against civilians and urged the parties to respect international humanitarian law, including the requirements of distinction, proportionality and precaution.
The UN called for an immediate cessation of military action and renewed diplomatic efforts to prevent further civilian suffering.
Wider civilian toll remains difficult to verify
The complete death toll from the conflict remains uncertain because governments, militaries and independent monitoring organisations have published different figures.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency documented 3,636 deaths in Iran as of April 7, including 1,701 civilians and at least 254 children. The latest reported deaths would be additional to those figures, but no independently verified, comprehensive total covering all subsequent hostilities is available.
The Pentagon has also not released its final findings concerning an earlier strike on a girls’ school in Minab that reportedly killed 160 people. US lawmakers have demanded public disclosure of the investigation.
Strait of Hormuz crisis deepens
The escalation has further destabilised the Strait of Hormuz, through which approximately one-fifth of the world’s traded oil passed before the conflict.
Iran has severely restricted tanker traffic and warned vessels against travelling without its authorisation. Two Filipino crew members were killed when a Saudi-flagged tanker came under attack near the strait, although no party immediately claimed responsibility.
Egypt, Qatar, Pakistan and other countries are pressing Washington and Tehran to return to negotiations. With missile exchanges spreading across several countries, diplomatic officials warn that further escalation could produce additional civilian deaths, disrupt global energy supplies and widen the regional conflict.
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