Iran Death Toll Rises to 787 as US-Israeli Strikes Continue, Red Crescent Says 153 Cities Hit
TEHRAN, Iran — The death toll from ongoing US and Israeli strikes on Iran has climbed to 787, the Iranian Red Crescent Society announced on March 3, 2026, as search and rescue operations continued across bombed buildings in more than 150 cities nationwide .
The humanitarian organization reported that strikes since Saturday, February 28, had hit 153 cities and more than 500 locations across Iran in over 1,000 separate attacks . The figures, posted on the Red Crescent’s official website, could not be independently verified by international news agencies due to restricted access to conflict zones .
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The rising toll comes as the conflict enters its fourth day following the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior military commanders in the initial wave of US-Israeli strikes . President Donald Trump has warned that “the big wave hasn’t even happened” and that more devastating attacks are imminent .
Civilian Casualties and Child Deaths Mount
The civilian toll has drawn particular concern from human rights organizations. The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reported that at least 742 civilians have died since the conflict began, including 176 children . The monitoring group said Monday’s strikes alone killed 96 people, comprising 85 civilians and 11 military personnel .
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The deadliest single incident occurred on February 28 when a girls’ elementary school in the southern city of Minab was struck. Iranian state news agency Tasnim reported that 148 people were killed and 95 wounded at the Shajareh Tayyebeh school, with most victims being young students along with teachers, staff, and parents . Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations, Amir-Saeid Iravani, told an emergency Security Council meeting that “more than 100 children” died in that attack alone, calling it “a war crime, and a crime against humanity” .
Video footage verified by international media showed crowds of people digging through the rubble of the destroyed school building, with plumes of dust hanging in the air and workers lifting large pieces of debris as school bags were pulled from the wreckage . What appeared to be scorch marks were visible on the walls of what remained of the structure .
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media: “The destroyed building is a primary school for girls in the south of Iran. It was bombed in broad daylight, when packed with young pupils. Dozens of innocent children have been murdered at this site alone. These crimes against the Iranian people will not go unanswered” .
Fresh Strikes Reported Across Multiple Cities
Explosions continued to rock Iranian cities on Tuesday morning. AFP journalists in Tehran reported loud blasts in the capital, while Iranian media described explosions in Karaj west of Tehran and in the central city of Isfahan . Airstrikes were also reported in Hamadan, where Iranian media said five people were killed and 25 injured, with claims that a residential area was targeted and all casualties were civilians .
In Kerman province, 13 personnel of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps were killed in strikes on Monday, according to Iranian media . The deaths add to mounting military casualties as the conflict intensifies.
Iranian outlets also claimed that an Israeli drone was shot down by air defense systems in Khomeini city, though the report could not be independently confirmed .
Discrepancies in Casualty Figures
Different organizations have released varying casualty figures as the situation continues to evolve. The Iranian Red Crescent’s latest toll of 787 represents a significant increase from Monday’s figures, when the organization had reported 555 dead . HRANA’s civilian toll of 742 with 176 children killed provides a more detailed breakdown but focuses specifically on civilian deaths rather than total fatalities .
Xinhua News Agency, citing the Red Crescent, reported Monday that 131 Iranian counties were targeted in the strikes, with the organization noting that 504 locations were hit . The discrepancies reflect the chaotic nature of ongoing attacks and the challenges of compiling accurate data during active hostilities .
The United States Central Command has not commented on the rising death toll but has claimed that its strikes are targeting military objectives. CENTCOM said it had destroyed a Revolutionary Guards command and control center, along with Iranian air defense capabilities and missile and drone launch sites . The command stated it would “continue to take decisive action against threats posed by Iran” .
US Service Member Casualties Confirmed
The conflict has also claimed American lives. US Central Command announced on Monday that six US service members have been killed in action since the operation began . The remains of two previously unaccounted-for service members were recovered from a facility struck during Iran’s initial attacks in the region .
The first US casualties occurred when a direct Iranian strike hit a makeshift operations center at the Shuaiba port in Kuwait on Sunday morning, according to a source familiar with the situation . The attack came quickly with no warning or sirens to alert troops to evacuate or get into a bunker. Hours after the strike, fire was still smoldering in parts of the building, with the inside blackened and walls blown outward .
Eighteen US troops have been seriously wounded throughout the operation, a CENTCOM spokesperson said Monday . Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine called the fallen service members “the best that our nation has to offer” and “true examples of what selfless service means” .
Nine Hospitals Targeted, Iran Claims
The humanitarian impact extends beyond direct casualties to critical infrastructure. Fatemeh Mohammadbeigi, a member of the Iranian Parliament Health Commission, said on Monday that nine hospitals were targeted in the strikes, accusing Israel and the United States of deliberately attacking medical facilities .
The Israel Defense Forces responded to allegations regarding the Gandhi Hospital in Tehran, stating that the attack “was not targeted at the hospital” . Iran’s Foreign Ministry has accused both Israel and the US of targeting the same facility, though independent verification remains unavailable .
The targeting of hospitals, if confirmed, would constitute a violation of international humanitarian law, which explicitly protects medical facilities during armed conflict .
Trump Warns of Escalation
President Donald Trump, in a nine-minute interview with CNN on Monday, indicated that the military campaign is far from over. “We haven’t even started hitting them hard. The big wave hasn’t even happened. The big one is coming soon,” Trump told Jake Tapper .
The president said the operation was “going very well” and “a little ahead of schedule” relative to his projected four-week timeline . He expressed surprise at Iran’s widespread retaliation against Gulf Arab states, noting that countries including Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates had been targeted despite US assurances .
Of Iranian leadership following the death of 49 senior officials in the initial strikes, Trump said: “We don’t know who the leadership is. We don’t know who they’ll pick. They don’t even know who’s leading them now” .
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that more US casualties are likely as the campaign continues .
Regional Fallout Intensifies
The conflict’s ripple effects continue to spread across the Middle East. In Lebanon, Israeli airstrikes hit the Jnah and Bir Hassan areas in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday evening, the first strikes near central Beirut since the November 2024 ceasefire . The Israeli military said it targeted a Hezbollah official but gave no further details .
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced it had launched its 12th wave of attacks against US bases in the region, describing the operation as “decisive and targeted” . The IRGC said it fired 26 drones and five ballistic missiles at US military targets in Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and the Strait of Hormuz .
In a separate incident, three US F-15 fighter jets crashed over Kuwait after being hit by friendly fire from Kuwaiti air defense systems during active combat involving Iranian aircraft, missiles, and drones . All six crew members safely ejected and are in stable condition .
International Calls for Restraint
The mounting death toll has intensified international pressure for de-escalation. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned that escalating strikes and retaliation risk undermining international peace and security, urging restraint and a return to diplomacy during an emergency Security Council session .
Human rights organizations have expressed alarm over the rising civilian casualties. HRANA warned that continued airstrikes could further worsen the humanitarian situation, while international observers said the growing death toll may intensify global pressure for de-escalation as fears mount over a broader Middle East crisis .
With no diplomatic resolution in sight and both sides showing no signs of backing down, humanitarian concerns are growing as the conflict enters what US officials have warned will be an intensified phase.
With inputs from:
Al Jazeera: Iran death toll 555→787 Red Crescent
CBS: US death toll 6, Iran 787 Red Crescent
DW: Nearly 800 killed US-Israeli strikes
NYT: US soldiers killed 6+, Iran 550+
Guardian: Minab school strike 148 dead
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