BBC investigation reveals civilian casualties from strikes in Tehran, with families losing homes and lives in attacks on military targets embedded in residential areas.
In Tehran, a mother waited desperately as rescue workers dug through the rubble of a residential building in the Resalat district, destroyed by an Israeli strike. She claimed her daughter was trapped and afraid of the dark, but both were later found dead, according to eyewitness accounts gathered by BBC Eye.
The strike on March 9 targeted a military building used by the Iranian Basij, a paramilitary force, as stated by the Israel Defense Forces. However, satellite imagery and footage analyzed by BBC Eye show that at least four buildings were destroyed, with damage extending up to 65 meters, affecting surrounding residential areas and leaving dozens homeless.
Impact on Civilians in Tehran
Residents reported between 40 and 50 people killed in the Resalat attack, with survivors staying in a nearby hotel. One man, aged 55, described being thrown across his room and losing all his possessions in the sudden strike on an apartment building across the road.
Beyond Resalat, another Israeli strike on March 1 hit the Abbasabad police station near Niloufar Square, where families were gathered after breaking their Ramadan fast. Eyewitnesses reported at least 20 deaths, with multiple explosions causing widespread panic and damage beyond the intended target.
The Israel Defense Forces confirmed dropping over 3,600 bombs on Tehran and more than 12,000 across Iran since the conflict began. US Central Command reported striking over 9,000 targets nationwide, often in civilian neighborhoods near police stations, Basij buildings, and IRGC sites.
Military experts told BBC Eye that the damage patterns match the use of Mark 84 bombs, weighing 2,000 pounds, which are powerful and fitted with precision guidance. Unexploded bombs of this type have been photographed in the city, and international humanitarian law experts consulted by BBC Eye stated that such use in populated areas could be disproportionate and possibly unlawful.
The Human Rights Activists News Agency reported 1,464 civilian deaths in Iran during the first month of the conflict, including 217 children. Residents expressed that these strikes are deepening resentment amid the ongoing war involving Iran, the US, and Israel.
