ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The military campaign of the United States and Israel against Iran escalated on Wednesday as Israeli forces struck Iran’s South Pars gas field, one of the world’s largest energy facilities, while Tehran vowed swift retaliation.
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday night that, for the first time, it had bombarded a number of targets in northern Iran. Meanwhile, Iran launched its 63rd attack against Israel.
Tehran and Karaj
Several residents of Tehran reported on social media that they heard the sounds of aircraft and explosions across the city after 11 pm last night. According to reports, the sounds of bombardment and explosions were most prominent in the neighborhoods and streets of Seyed Khandan, Narmak, Niloufar, Mehran, Jannat Abad, Ekbatan, Sa'adat Abad, Yousef Abad, Majidieh, Velenjak, Tehranpars, and Heravi.
The targeting of sites within Tehran continued until the early hours of Thursday.
Additionally, on Thursday morning, aerial strikes targeted several locations in Baqershahr and Shahr-e Rey in Tehran Province. Strikes were also reported this morning within the city and outskirts of Karaj, the capital of Alborz Province. At midnight on Wednesday, at least four locations in and around the city of Qods, near Tehran, were bombarded.
Gilan province
On Wednesday night, several military bases and headquarters were bombed in the cities of Rasht and Bandar Anzali in Gilan province, northern Iran.
While Iranian official media claimed that the U.S. and Israel targeted several locations within civilian residential areas, Mohammad Saleh Ziaei, the Governor of Bandar Anzali, stated that missiles struck the buildings of the General Directorate of Customs, the Ports and Maritime Organization, and the Shipping Organization. However, Esmail Mirghazanfari, the Governor of Rasht, told Iranian media that no bombardment occurred within the city of Rasht itself.
The Israeli military announced on Wednesday night that it had struck more than 200 targets in western and central Iran within 24 hours, including missile and drone bases. They also confirmed that, for the first time, they had attacked several targets in northern Iran.
Fars province
In the city of Lar, the center of Larestan County in Fars province, a court building and a vehicle near the courthouse were bombed. The head of the Iranian Red Crescent stated that the targeted vehicle was an ambulance.
According to a report from the Fars provincial justice department, 14 people were killed and 50 others were wounded in the attack; two of the deceased were judges.