Israel’s military said it has killed about 1,900 Iranian soldiers and commanders since the start of the ongoing conflict, while continuing airstrikes on targets in Iran and Lebanon.
Military spokesperson Effie Defrin announced the figure during a press briefing on Monday and indicated that Israeli operations against Iranian targets remain ongoing.
Defrin also confirmed that an Iranian missile attack earlier on Monday killed another person in Israel, raising the civilian death toll from Iranian attacks to 12. The fatalities include civilians targeted during missile strikes across Israeli territory. In addition, two Israeli soldiers were killed during combat with militants from Hezbollah in Lebanon.
According to data released by the Israeli Health Ministry, a total of 2,238 people in Israel have been evacuated to hospitals since the beginning of the joint United States–Israeli military strikes on Iran. Of those injured, 91 people remain hospitalised.
Israeli air operations continued on Monday with strikes carried out in multiple locations across Iran, including the capital Tehran, the central city of Isfahan and areas in southern Iran.
The military campaign began on February 28 when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes targeting Iranian military infrastructure. Since the start of the offensive, Israeli warplanes have struck six military airports across Iran.
Defrin said Israeli forces also targeted aircraft associated with the transportation network of the Quds Force. According to the military briefing, 16 cargo aircraft were destroyed during the attacks. The aircraft were allegedly used to transport weapons and financial support to Iran’s allied groups across the region.
In parallel with operations inside Iran, Israeli forces have also expanded strikes against Hezbollah-linked infrastructure in Lebanon. Defrin stated that Israeli airstrikes targeted 35 high-rise buildings in Beirut which were reportedly used by Hezbollah.
The military spokesperson said that more than 700 Hezbollah-related sites across Lebanon have been struck during the campaign.
Israeli authorities indicated that military operations will continue as long as considered necessary. Defrin stated that individuals or entities regarded as posing a threat could become targets of Israeli strikes.
When asked about the possibility of targeting Iran’s newly announced supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, Defrin said any individual perceived as a threat could be struck.
Mojtaba Khamenei was announced as Iran’s new supreme leader on Sunday following recent developments in the conflict.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump commented on the conflict during a press conference in Florida on March 9. Trump said the US–Israeli military campaign against Iran would conclude “soon,” though he did not specify a timeline.
When asked whether the strikes could end within the week, Trump responded that the conflict would not conclude immediately but suggested it could end in the near future.
At the same time, Trump stated that many of the campaign’s objectives had already been achieved while also endorsing earlier remarks by Pete Hegseth indicating that the broader confrontation may only be entering its initial stages.
The developments reflect the continuing escalation of military operations across multiple fronts in the Middle East, with airstrikes and missile attacks affecting territories in Iran, Israel and Lebanon.
