10 March,2026 11:12 AM IST | Jerusalem | mid-day online correspondent
Plumes of smoke rise after attack in Iran. File Pic/AFP
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has claimed that around 1,900 Iranian soldiers and commanders have been killed since the start of the ongoing conflict with Iran, reported the IANS.
Israeli Military spokesperson Effie Defrin said the casualties were the result of Israel's airstrikes launched since the conflict escalated in late February.
Speaking at a press briefing on Monday, Defrin said that Israeli air force operations continued with strikes in cities including Tehran and Isfahan, as well as areas in southern Iran, the news agency reported.
According to the military, Israeli warplanes have struck six military airports in Iran since the start of the joint US-Israeli attacks on February 28.
Defrin added that the strikes targeted aircraft linked to the Quds Force, destroying 16 cargo planes allegedly used to transport weapons and funds to allied groups in the region.
According to the IANS, the spokesperson confirmed that one more person was killed in an Iranian missile attack on Monday, raising the number of civilians killed in Israel to 12 since the beginning of the conflict.
Two Israeli soldiers were also killed during clashes with Hezbollah fighters in Lebanon.
The Israeli Health Ministry said 2,238 people have been evacuated to hospitals in Israel since the start of the US-Israeli strikes, with 91 patients still receiving treatment.
Defrin said Israeli airstrikes have also continued in Beirut, where the military targeted 35 high-rise buildings allegedly used by Hezbollah, as per the IANS.
According to the IDF, more than 700 Hezbollah-related sites in Lebanon have been struck during the campaign.
He said the Israeli military operations would continue "as long as needed."
When asked whether Israel might target Iran's newly announced Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Defrin said that anyone posing a threat could become a target, reported the IANS.
The announcement of Mojtaba Khamenei's leadership was made a day earlier.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said the US-Israeli strikes against Iran would end "soon", though he did not specify a timeline.
Speaking at a press conference in Florida, Trump suggested that US objectives had largely been achieved but also echoed warnings by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that the conflict could continue.
(with IANS inputs)
