Iran has fiercely condemned the United States following overnight airstrikes that impacted the child cancer treatment department at Shahid Baghaei Hospital. The strike forced the medical facility to evacuate, displacing vulnerable patients amid widening military exchanges in the region.
Hospital Evacuated Amid Airstrikes
The overnight bombardment caused severe panic and disruptions to critical healthcare services in Iran:
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Mass Evacuation: Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei confirmed on social media that 211 patients undergoing active chemotherapy—including children—had to be abruptly evacuated from the hospital.
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Accusations of War Crimes: Baqaei labeled the attack a “barbaric” and “cowardly war crime against the most innocent of human beings.” He further criticized Western nations, stating that those who preach human rights while ignoring attacks on medical centers have “forfeited every shred of moral credibility.”
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Widespread Damage: The US strikes targeted multiple cities across Iran, including Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Khorramabad. The attacks hit an army barracks, killing at least seven troops. Tehran reports that the overall death toll from the American campaign has reached 35, with over 300 injured.
US Rationale and the Military Counter-Response
The Pentagon maintains that its military actions are strictly targeted operations designed to degrade Iran’s offensive capabilities:
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Securing Maritime Routes: US Central Command (CENTCOM) stated the strikes specifically targeted military infrastructure used by Iran to threaten commercial shipping in the vital Strait of Hormuz waterway. The US military also disabled an empty oil tanker attempting to breach its newly active naval blockade on Iranian ports.
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IRGC Retaliation: In response to the hospital strike and barracks attack, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) launched retaliatory strikes aimed at the US Fifth Fleet in Bahrain. While air raid sirens rang out in Bahrain, incoming threats were successfully intercepted. Neighboring Jordan also confirmed its armed forces shot down three Iranian missiles transiting its airspace.
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Drone Shot Down: The IRGC claimed its aerospace forces utilized a new air defense system to successfully intercept and shoot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over the southwestern city of Andimeshk.
Diplomatic Ties Strain But Hold
Despite the direct combat operations, backchannel mediated talks between Washington and Tehran have not officially collapsed. However, Iran’s top negotiator, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, issued a stark warning that Tehran sees little reason to adhere to any diplomatic memorandums if it continues to derive no actual benefit from them under the weight of the US blockade.
