Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran - but experts say true total may never be known

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran - but experts say true total may never be known26 minutes ago Share Save Add as preferred on GoogleChristine JeavansandMatt Murphy , Verify BBCThousands of people have been killed across the Middle East since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, official figures show, with a deal now agreed to end the war. More than 7,300 people have been killed in Iran and Lebanon since 28 February, according to official casualty reports from those countries. Among them are hundreds of children and dozens of healthcare workers.

Scores more people have been killed across the wider region. However, some analysts say the figures are almost certainly an undercount and experts told Verify that internet, media and government restrictions - coupled with unreliable figures due to the presence of armed groups in some areas - have hampered reporting. Dr Iain Overton - executive director at the UK-based charity Action on Armed Violence - said the conflict being fought across multiple countries means casualty figures "are often incomplete, delayed or impossible to independently verify".

The Details

He added that "the final death toll will likely remain contested" for years after the conflict ends. IranAs of mid-April, at least 3,468 Iranians, including 499 women, had been killed since US and Israeli strikes began, according to official Iranian government figures. This is made up of 1,460 civilians and 2,008 military personnel, state news agency IRNA reported on 26 April.

But the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said that their count was higher, with 3,636 killed. In a report issued on 18 May, HRANA said their figure comprised 1,701 civilians, including 307 children, 1,221 military personnel, and 714 individuals whose identity or status could not be confirmed. The organisation said their documented figures should be seen as "absolute minimums", as getting information on deaths was severely limited by difficulty accessing sites, government-imposed internet blackouts and political repression.

"Authorities routinely withhold information about casualties, and families may face pressure not to speak publicly about the circumstances of a death," said Skylar Thompson, the organisation's deputy director. Iranian authorities have accused the US and Israel of hitting civilian infrastructure in strikes across the country. Multiple investigations have found that a US missile strike on the opening day of the war hit a school in the town of Minab, which Iranian officials say killed 168 people, including 110 children.

The US military has said it is investigating the strike. ReutersDays later, Iranian authorities said 20 people were killed when a missile hit a sports hall during a girls' volleyball match in the town of Lamerd. The US has denied it was behind the strike, but experts told Verify that a US-made Precision Strike Missile (PrSM) was likely used in the attack.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.