IRGC Vows to Retaliate Against US-Israel Attacks as Iranian Civilian Death Toll Surpasses 700

IRGC, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, issued a hard-line statement following the escalating military hostilities in the Middle East. The IRGC vowed not to allow American and Israeli air strikes to go unretaliated, particularly after such strikes hit military facilities and civilian settlements inside Iran. In a formal statement cited by the state broadcaster IRIB on Tuesday (3 March 2026), the IRGC said operations against the Zionist regime and its allies would continue as a form of defending sovereignty. “The criminals in America and Israel must understand that not one of their crimes and murders will be left unretaliated. The war against the US and the Zionist regime will continue,” the IRGC said. The IRGC accused the US-Israel coalition of deliberately targeting public infrastructure to trigger mass panic within Iranian society. An internal Iranian military report claimed the strikes had hit schools, hospitals, stadiums, restaurants, and even wedding halls. According to the latest data released by the IRGC, civilian fatalities have surpassed 700. Several of the tragedies were reported in the past 24 hours. The tension peaked after a massive US-Israel attack on 28 February 2026. State broadcaster Iran previously confirmed that Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had died in that assault targeting Tehran. In response to the death of the Supreme Leader and the damage to national infrastructure, Iran launched a wave of ballistic missile attacks on Israel and on several US military bases scattered across the Middle East. International observers warn that the IRGC’s hardline stance could mark the opening phase of a broader open war in the region. At the time of publication, the White House and Tel Aviv had not issued fresh comment regarding Tehran’s claims about civilian casualties. (Sputnik/RIA Novosti/Ant/I-2)