Iranian Deputy Health Minister Ali Jafarian told Al Jazeera that US-Israeli attacks across the country have killed and wounded predominantly civilians, while the bombardment of oil facilities has caused toxic smoke to spread over the capital, Tehran, raising severe public health concerns.
Jafarian stated that at least 1,255 people have been killed in Iran, including 200 children and 11 healthcare workers, with ages ranging from eight months to 88 years. He insisted that most victims were civilians, saying, “They were living in their homes or at their workplace.” More than 12,000 people have been wounded, primarily from burns and crush injuries.
The attacks have damaged 29 clinical facilities, forcing 10 to shut down, along with 52 health centres, 18 emergency services locations, and 15 ambulances destroyed or impaired. Jafarian warned of escalating health risks after Israeli air strikes hit Iran’s oil facilities late Saturday for the first time since the conflict began, killing at least four people. “The whole city was dark until the afternoon yesterday,” he said, referring to thick smoke blanketing Tehran.
The strikes sparked large fires upon hitting the Aghdasieh oil warehouse in northeastern Tehran, the Tehran refinery in the south, and the Shahran oil depot in western Tehran. Israel claimed it targeted “a number of fuel storage facilities in Tehran” used “to operate military infrastructure,” but Jafarian countered, arguing, “And this is not a military issue. … This is not a military target.”
The minister cautioned that the toxic emissions could cause respiratory problems for vulnerable groups like children and the elderly, advising residents to stay indoors with windows closed. He also warned that acid rain would pollute the soil and have lasting environmental impacts. Jafarian noted that over 200 cities have been hit across Iran since the attacks commenced on February 28, with targets allegedly being mostly civilian.
On Monday, the US and Israeli regimes continued their bombardment of Iran, with explosions reported in Qom and Tehran. US and Israeli officials purportedly stated the war could last a month or longer, while analysts saw no clear path for de-escalation in the near future, highlighting the persistent instability and humanitarian toll of the ongoing conflict.
Source: www.aljazeera.com