Iran reports widespread damage from strikes
Tehran cites civilian losses and infrastructure destruction
U.S.-Israel strikes this year have left extensive damage across several Iranian cities, with Tehran seeing heavy hits to residential areas and public facilities. Residential neighborhoods in multiple districts were struck, causing civilian casualties and displacing families, officials said. Public infrastructure suffered: a covered arena at the Azadi Sports Complex was destroyed, nearly 1,000 schools were damaged with 18 razed, and research centers and laboratories at around 30 universities were hit, including the Physics, Laser and Plasma Institute at Shahid Beheshti University. Iranian statements put civilian-sector damage at roughly 21% of total destruction from airstrikes and characterize the pattern as repeated targeting of non-military sites.
Separately, the IRGC reported 14 personnel killed and two wounded by an explosion during a clearance operation in Zanjan province while neutralizing unexploded ordnance left after the strikes. The corps said its demolition teams have destroyed three U.S. bunker-buster bombs and neutralized thousands of bomblets across contaminated areas, including agricultural land spanning over 1,200 hectares. Tehran blames U.S. and Israeli forces for initiating the campaign on Feb. 28 that reportedly killed senior leaders and civilians; U.S. notification to Congress has prompted legal timeline scrutiny under the War Powers Act.
