newspop
New Delhi : The fragile truce between the United States and Iran has effectively collapsed, with Tehran confirming that 14 people were killed and 78 injured in US airstrikes across five provinces over two days, marking one of the deadliest escalations since the ceasefire unravelled.
Hossein Kermanpour, head of Iran’s Health Ministry Public Relations Centre, said the strikes carried out on July 8 and 9 left 47 people hospitalised, while several others were treated and discharged. Local authorities in Khuzestan province confirmed that three of the fatalities occurred near Ahvaz.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its operation targeted more than 170 military sites, including air defence systems, missile and drone infrastructure, naval facilities, and assets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Washington maintained that the strikes were aimed at preventing further threats to international shipping and regional security.
The military escalation has also disrupted civilian infrastructure. Iran suspended Tehran–Mashhad passenger rail services after a joint US–Israeli strike damaged a section of the railway line. Emergency repair teams have been deployed, while stranded passengers are being transported by road. Reports also indicate that two railway bridges in northern Iran were struck by cruise missiles, marking the first reported attack on the country’s transportation infrastructure since the April ceasefire.
The latest round of hostilities followed US allegations that Iran attacked three commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, prompting successive waves of American strikes. Iran responded by launching drone and missile attacks targeting US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait, further widening the conflict.
The renewed fighting comes just weeks after a Pakistan-brokered memorandum of understanding sought to end months of hostilities. However, US President Donald Trump declared the agreement “over” on Wednesday, paving the way for fresh military operations and pushing the region back to the brink of a broader confrontation.
