US-Israeli strikes have killed nearly 1,450 people in Iran since the conflict began on February 28.
The United States carried out airstrikes on military targets on Kharg Island, according to President Donald Trump. He said US forces had “obliterated” Iranian military sites on the island and warned that oil infrastructure there could be targeted next.
Officials in Iraq said a helipad at the United States Embassy Baghdad was hit in a missile attack, the Associated Press reported.
Meanwhile, Al Jazeera reported that “huge blasts” shook central Tehran after thousands of people gathered in the city to show support for Palestinians and to protest attacks by the US and Israel.
According to sources of Iran’s semi-official Fars news agency more than 15 explosions were heard on Kharg Island during the US strikes. According to the sources, the attacks targeted air defence systems, a naval base and airport facilities, but did not damage oil infrastructure.
Reports say US-Israeli strikes have killed nearly 1,450 people in Iran since the conflict began on February 28. In Lebanon, an Israeli attack on a health centre in the south killed 12 medics, raising the death toll from Israeli strikes there to 773, including 103 children.
On Saturday, March 14, Iran’s armed forces warned that any strike on the country’s oil and energy infrastructure would be met with attacks on facilities belonging to oil companies cooperating with the US in the region, according to Reuters citing Iranian media.
Earlier in the week, Trump did not confirm whether the US planned to seize Kharg Island. In an interview with Fox News radio, he said the move was “not high on the list” but added that he could change his mind quickly.
A report by Axios on March 7 said the Trump administration had discussed the possibility of seizing the strategic island.
As tensions continued, countries in the Gulf region, including Qatar and Bahrain, issued evacuation warnings while Iran continued missile and drone attacks.
