US Strikes in Five Iranian Provinces Kill 14, Wound 78

Istanbul (ANTARA) — American attacks on five Iranian provinces over the past two days have killed at least 14 people and wounded 78 others, according to a report by Iran’s Health Ministry on Thursday.

“The United States has targeted five provinces in Iran on 8 and 9 July,” wrote Hossein Kermanpour, Head of the Centre for Public Relations and Information at Iran’s Health Ministry, in a post on the social media platform X.

He said the attacks have so far resulted in 14 deaths and 78 injuries.

According to the ministry, 47 of the wounded remain hospitalised, while the other casualties have been discharged after receiving medical treatment.

Three of the deaths resulted from an attack near the city of Ahvaz in south-western Iran, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA, citing Valiollah Hayati, Deputy Governor of Khuzestan Province for Security Affairs.

The latest casualty figures were announced as the conflict between the United States and Iran heats up once more following the collapse of last month’s fragile ceasefire.

The escalation began after the United States accused Iran of attacking three merchant vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. The accusation prompted Washington to launch a wave of consecutive strikes on Iranian military targets along the country’s southern coast.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted more than 170 military sites over two days, including air defence systems, coastal surveillance assets, missile and drone infrastructure, naval infrastructure, and facilities belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

According to CENTCOM, the strikes were intended to prevent further attacks on international shipping.

Iran has responded by launching drone and missile attacks targeting American military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.

Previously, Iran and the United States had reached a memorandum of understanding mediated by Pakistan on 17 June to end the military conflict and pave the way for a more permanent peace agreement.

However, on Wednesday, US President Donald Trump declared that the memorandum had “ended”, effectively terminating the agreement and triggering a new round of military confrontation.

Source: Anadolu