Jakarta. Iran’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Mohammad Boroujerdi, said Monday that 555 people have been killed in joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran, as the conflict spirals into a regional war.

Speaking at his official residence in Jakarta, Boroujerdi accused Washington and Tel Aviv of launching attacks on civilian targets, including hospitals, schools, and residential areas, during the holy month of Ramadan.

“Until now, 555 Iranian citizens, mostly women and children, including more than 200 elementary school students, have been martyred,” he said.

The escalating war intensified Monday as Israel and the United States pounded targets across Iran, while Tehran and its allies retaliated with missile and drone attacks on Israel, neighboring Gulf states, and energy-related facilities critical to global oil and gas supplies.

Boroujerdi defended Iran’s retaliatory strikes, citing Article 51 of the UN Charter, which recognizes the right to self-defense.

“Iran has never started a war in its history. But we are exercising our legitimate right to respond by targeting American military bases in the region from which the attacks originated,” he said.

He added that while Iran maintains good relations with neighboring countries, foreign military bases on their soil are considered hostile territory.

The conflict deepened following the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in the strikes.

The fighting has already produced far-reaching consequences. Oil prices have surged, hundreds of thousands of airline passengers have been stranded worldwide, and even cities previously seen as safe havens in the Middle East, such as Dubai, have come under fire. US allies have pledged assistance in intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.

Iran has long warned that any attack on its territory would trigger wider regional conflict, including strikes on Israel, Gulf Arab states and shipping routes vital to global energy markets. On Monday, those threats materialized.

In one sign of the chaos, the US military said Kuwait had “mistakenly shot down” three American F-15E fighter jets during an ongoing barrage of Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones. US Central Command said all six pilots ejected safely and were in stable condition.

Israel and the US said they struck Iranian missile installations and naval assets, claiming to have destroyed naval headquarters facilities and multiple warships. As airstrikes hit Tehran, senior Iranian official Ali Larijani declared on social media that Iran would not negotiate with the United States.

The death toll has risen on all sides. The Iranian Red Crescent Society confirmed at least 555 fatalities in Iran. Israeli authorities reported 11 deaths following Iranian missile strikes, while clashes involving the Iran-backed Hezbollah group in Lebanon left more than two dozen dead. Four American troops have also been killed, and additional fatalities were reported in the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, and Bahrain.

In Kuwait City, fire and smoke were seen rising from within the US Embassy compound shortly after American officials warned citizens to take cover. There were no immediate reports of casualties.

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