New Delhi: At least 555 people have been killed across 131 cities in Iran following US-Israeli attacks, the Iranian Red Crescent Society has reportedly said adding that more than 100,000 rescuers are on full alert nationwide and a volunteer network of around four million people remains on standby to provide humanitarian and psychosocial support.
Meanwhile, Iran has claimed to have attacked the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a location where the commander of the Israeli Air Force was present, AzerNews reported,citing the Public Relations Department of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The report however clarified that the current status of Netanyahu was not clear.
Kuwait’s defence ministry reported that several American warplanes crashed in the country amid heightened regional hostilities. All crew members safely ejected and were taken to hospital for evaluation, with officials stating they are in stable condition. The US Central Command (Centcom) has later confirmed the incident and said three US F15 fightr jets “went down over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident”. All six aircrew ejected safely and are in stable condition, it said in a statement.
“During active combat-that included attacks from Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones – the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses,” it said.
Saudi Arabia confirmed that some operational units at the Ras Tanura refinery were temporarily shut down following an incident involving intercepted drones in the vicinity. The energy ministry said falling debris caused minor damage and a precautionary suspension of certain units, but petroleum supplies to domestic markets remain unaffected.
Ras Tanura is one of the Middle East’s largest refining complexes, with a capacity of approximately 550,000 barrels per day. The development has added to concerns over regional energy security amid disruptions to shipping near the Strait of Hormuz.
In Cyprus, authorities have reportedly evacuated a passenger terminal at Paphos airport after radar systems detected a suspicious object. The airport lies about 60 kilometres from Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base, where sirens were activated following reported drone activity.
Meanwhile, Oman confirmed that a bomb-laden drone boat struck a Marshall Islands-flagged oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, killing one Indian crew member. The vessel was identified as the MKD VYOM.
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Iranian security official Ali Larijani stated that Tehran would continue defending itself against what he described as aggression from the United States and Israel. In contrast, China called on all parties to cease military operations, urging a diplomatic resolution and describing the strikes as a violation of international law. Beijing said it was prepared to support efforts aimed at de-escalation through dialogue.
Iran’s nuclear programme remains central to the justification cited by Israel and the United States for the attacks. Tehran maintains that its nuclear activities are for peaceful purposes, despite holding uranium enriched to 60 percent purity. Iranian officials have signalled willingness to reduce enrichment levels. Iran’s representative to the International Atomic Energy Agency said the Natanz nuclear facility was struck during the recent attacks, though the UN nuclear watchdog stated it had not detected confirmed damage to Iran’s nuclear installations.
IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned that attacks on nuclear power plants in the region could trigger radiological releases requiring mass evacuations from major urban centres. He urged restraint and renewed diplomatic engagement, noting that several Middle Eastern countries operate nuclear facilities or research reactors, raising concerns about broader nuclear safety risks.
