US strikes in southern Iran have severely disrupted access to drinking water for thousands of residents, while Iranian officials say the latest attacks have killed civilians, damaged critical infrastructure and forced authorities to suspend final school examinations in several provinces.
Iranian officials say a US attack targeted water desalination infrastructure in the coastal village of Bunji in Jask County, Hormozgan province, leaving around 10,000 people across 20 villages without access to drinking water.
According to Hamzeh Pour, CEO of the Hormozgan Water and Wastewater Company, the strikes completely destroyed a pumping station used to extract seawater as well as a power transformer at the Bunji desalination plant.
Pour described the attacks as "a series of crimes and terrorist attacks," adding that the destruction had completely disrupted the drinking water supply to the affected villages.
He warned that residents are now facing a severe water shortage.
At least 50 killed since July 6
Iran's Health Ministry said US attacks carried out since July 6 have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500 others across the country.
The ministry did not provide a province-by-province breakdown of the casualties but said the latest military campaign has caused significant human losses.
Civilian casualties in Hormozgan
Ahmad Moradi, a representative for Hormozgan province, told Iran's Tasnim news agency that recent US attacks over the past two nights killed seven to eight people, all of whom were civilians.
According to Moradi, one strike targeted a bridge in the province, where two family vehicles were hit, killing six civilians.
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He added that another attack struck the Tappeh Allaho Akbar neighbourhood in Bandar Abbas, killing a woman and leaving a one-year-old child with injuries that resulted in an amputation.
Moradi also said a fuel truck driver supplying petrol stations was killed after a fire broke out during the attacks.
Bushehr also comes under attack
US strikes also targeted parts of Bushehr province, according to Iranian officials.
Ehsan Jahanian, Deputy Governor for Political and Social Affairs in Bushehr, told Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency that US forces struck an area in Dashti County.
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He said the explosion caused by the attack did not result in any casualties.
Jahanian also confirmed that another attack took place in Choghadak City, although no additional details were immediately released.
Iran cancels final exams in four provinces
Amid the worsening security situation, Iran's Education Ministry announced the cancellation of final examinations for 11th and 12th-grade students scheduled for Sunday and Monday in four southern provinces.
The suspension applies to Hormozgan, Bushehr, Khuzestan and Sistan and Baluchestan, with officials citing "ongoing unstable conditions in the southern region of the country."
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The ministry said the postponed examinations will be rescheduled at a later date.
Authorities added that final examinations in all other Iranian provinces, as well as later examination dates in the affected provinces, will continue according to the existing schedule.
The latest developments underscore the growing humanitarian impact of the ongoing conflict, with civilian casualties, damage to essential infrastructure and disruptions to public services continuing to mount in southern Iran.
The reported destruction of water facilities, transportation infrastructure and educational disruptions comes as military tensions between Washington and Tehran remain high.
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