Story by Oleen Ndori, Foreign Editor
THE number of people killed in five days of US-Israeli attacks against Iran has topped 1 000 as conflict engulfs the region.
As the conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel entered its fifth day, explosions struck multiple locations across Iran, including the eastern part of Tehran, while the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) announced waves of strikes against US and Israeli military targets.
The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that its air force had launched another wave of massive strikes against targets in Tehran, following overnight blasts in southern cities including Bandar Abbas and Shiraz.
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) launched strikes against Israeli and US military targets in the region on Wednesday in its latest operation.
A farewell ceremony for the late Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli strikes on Saturday, is expected to be held in Tehran, followed by a funeral in the eastern city of Mashhad.
Meanwhile, US drivers are angry about soaring gas prices resulting from the conflict in the Middle East triggered by the US and Israel.
“I have to do a lot of travelling for work, and it’s really going to dip into my pocket,” one driver said.
“The blame lies as much with the Presidency or the Executive branch, and with the governor, it trickles down to everyone at the state and municipal levels. I think prices will probably keep going up for a period. I run a business, so my bigger concern is the cost of fuel, which could start to add strain.”
Gas and oil prices have soared after the US and Israeli attacks on Iran and Tehran’s response, targeting Israel and US assets across the Gulf region.
This comes after QatarEnergy, one of the world’s biggest exporters, halted production following the attacks.
The aggression against Iran comes after several rounds of talks between the Americans and Iranians, with Oman acting as mediator.
