The death toll rises in both Israel and Iran

Iran and Israel continue to shoot each other and during the night Iranian projectiles struck, among other things, in the city of Bat Yam in Tel Aviv’s southern outer edge. Six people are reported to have been killed, including two children, and just over 130 were injured, two of whom are seriously, and 35 are missing, writes Haaretz, who also refers to police information that four were also killed in the North Israeli town of Tamra.

Iranian missiles will Have been fired in a handful of swarms during the night and also struck in, among other things, Rehovot with some 30 injured as a result. The shooting comes primarily from Iranian territory, but on at least two occasions rockets must have been sent by the Iranallied Huthi movement in Yemen.

– It is a very uncertain situation that can worsen depending mainly on two things. One is about how extensive damage and number of deaths the Iranian missiles cause in Israel, says Karin Aggestam, professor of political science and director of the Center for Middle East Studies at Lund University.

– The second is how Iran chooses to continue its retaliation, that is, if you expand it to also go on American goals in the region. In the past, it has been assumed that Iran does not want to do so, but things are changing rapidly and with such a event development, the United States would be involved in a completely different way.

Information on the total number of dead in Iran on Sunday varies. The country’s UN ambassador indicated 78 deaths on Friday and on Saturday another 60 people were reported dead, including 20 children. A large number of those killed are military commanders and nuclear researchers, but an overwhelming majority is defined by Iran as civilians.

Iranian state media reports that the latest attack wave is a response to Israel’s strike against the energy infrastructure in the country, now for example two natural gas plants in southern Iran. The Israeli military has also announced during the night that it was against the head of the Ministry of Defense and Iran’s nuclear program.

Iran’s speech for powerful retaliation Come on Saturday to include the United States, but also the United Kingdom and France if they help Israel’s Armed Forces. The warning was expressed in state media and came after the US military confirmed that it was assisted Israel in shooting down Iranian projectiles with the help of air defense from the ground and from the hunter USS Thomas Hudner.

– I think the United States is more involved in this than we know. Something I think you can keep in mind is what you call « compelling diplomacy, » to use military means as part of the diplomatic strategy, and there I think there is some coordination between the US and Israel, says Karin Aggestam.

– There are strong restraining forces against the US being involved more directly, mainly from the Allied Gulf states, but it is also in American interests not to disturb traffic in the Persian Gulf, both the trade routes and all air traffic.

Donald Trump repeated on Sunday that « we can easily » reach an agreement between Israel and Iran and that the United States will react vigorously if something American is attacked: « If we are in any form or in any way attacked by Iran, the entire US military’s strength and power will hit you with a force never before. »