Tehran, March 3 – A 4.3 magnitude earthquake struck the Gerash region of Iran on Tuesday, amid escalating tensions in the Islamic Republic.
There were no immediate reports of significant damage or injuries.
The earthquake further intensified existing regional tensions.
The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) released figures on US casualties during the first two days of what it described as retaliatory strikes, with the numbers differing significantly from those announced by the United States, according to local media on Tuesday.
An IRGC spokesperson said that up to 650 US soldiers were killed or wounded during the first two days of the retaliation.
The spokesperson also stated that IRGC missiles and drones struck the headquarters of the US Navy's Fifth Fleet in Bahrain multiple times, and that attacks on US military bases in Bahrain resulted in 160 US casualties.
The US military stated that as of 4 p.m. Monday (2100 GMT), six US service members had been killed in military operations against Iran. US media reported that 18 additional troops were seriously wounded. US officials said there have been no fatalities at US military bases in Bahrain.
The IRGC spokesperson also said that a US combat support ship was heavily damaged by IRGC missiles, reiterating that four cruise missiles were fired at the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, which then "fled" southeast toward the Indian Ocean, according to Xinhua news agency.
Earlier, US Central Command formally denied claims from the IRGC that they had struck the USS Abraham Lincoln with missiles, labeling the Iranian assertions as "disinformation" and a "lie," adding that the missiles launched by Iran "didn't even come close."
The claims by both sides could not be independently verified.
