The number of people killed in protests in Iran has multiplied in just a few hours, going from 65 to over 500 , according to the U.S. Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), cited by international media. Some of the victims are minors.
The toll could be much higher as the days-long Internet shutdown is hampering investigations.
Most of the people were killed by live ammunition or pellet gunfire, mostly at close range, the NGO claims. Thirty-seven of the victims were members of the armed forces or security forces, including one prosecutor. A total of 2,638 people have been arrested .
Meanwhile, the possibility of a US attack is growing: Israel, Reuters reports, is on high alert over the possibility of US intervention in Iran . Yesterday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source present at the conversation.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump will receive a briefing on Tuesday on options for responding to the crackdown on protests, US officials reported to the Wall Street Journal. The meeting between the US president and senior administration officials will focus on next steps, which could include cyberattacks against Iranian military and civilian sites, the imposition of further sanctions on the Tehran regime, and even military strikes.
Tehran's response had already come from the speaker of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf: «Any US attack would lead Tehran to react against Israel and US military bases» in the region, which would then become «legitimate targets» .
According to sources told the Wall Street Journal, US administration officials have held "preliminary" discussions about a possible attack on Iran, should the president's threats be followed, and possible targets have already been identified. One option would be a large-scale air strike against several Iranian military targets , but sources say there is still no consensus on a course of action, and neither military equipment nor personnel have yet been mobilized.
(Unioneonline)
