Tehran, Iran — The Iranian government has announced a sharp rise in civilian casualties amid an intensifying military conflict with Israel, reporting that at least 610 civilians have been killed and over 4,700 wounded since hostilities began on June 13.
According to Hossein Kermanpour, spokesperson for Iran’s Health Ministry, all those counted in the casualty figures are civilians. The figures represent a significant increase from the previously reported death toll of 400 and 3,056 injuries, underscoring the devastating human toll of the ongoing Israeli air and missile strikes.
“These are all civilians. The numbers have climbed dramatically due to the continuation of intense aerial bombardments,” Kermanpour said during a televised press briefing on Tuesday.
The Iranian government has accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilian-populated areas, including residential buildings, hospitals, and public infrastructure across key cities such as Tehran, Isfahan, and Tabriz. Videos circulating on Iranian state media and social platforms show images of collapsed buildings, injured civilians, and overwhelmed emergency services.
Israel, however, has maintained that its strikes are aimed at neutralizing Iran’s military infrastructure, including missile launch sites, weapons depots, and command centers allegedly operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Israeli authorities have yet to respond directly to the new Iranian civilian casualty report.
The conflict erupted following weeks of rising tensions and tit-for-tat military escalations in the wider Middle East, with Tehran and Tel Aviv accusing each other of provoking war. A short-lived ceasefire proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump was declared on June 24 but quickly unraveled following renewed missile launches and cross-border attacks.
Humanitarian organizations, including the International Committee of the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, have called for immediate de-escalation and safe corridors to deliver aid to affected regions in Iran. “The sheer number of civilian casualties is alarming and unacceptable under international humanitarian law,” said a Red Cross spokesperson in Geneva.
As international pressure mounts and regional powers voice concern over a broader regional fallout, Iran’s health infrastructure remains under immense strain, with hospitals reportedly operating beyond capacity and facing shortages of essential medical supplies.
The United Nations Security Council is expected to convene an emergency session later this week to address the crisis. Meanwhile, Iran’s latest figures serve as a grim reminder of the human cost of the escalating Israel-Iran conflict.