CENTCOM Accuses Iran of Using Crowded Cities for Drone and Missile Strikes, Putting Civilians at Risk
CENTCOM warned that Iran is launching drones and missiles from civilian-populated areas, putting residents at risk and potentially turning those locations into military targets.
ERBIL (Kurdistan24) - The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) has issued a safety warning to civilians in Iran, saying Iranian forces are conducting military operations from heavily populated residential areas, putting civilian lives at risk.
In a statement released on Sunday, CENTCOM said Iran’s government is using civilian-populated areas to launch one-way attack drones and ballistic missiles, warning that such locations could become legitimate military targets under international law.
According to the statement, Iranian forces have been launching attacks from crowded areas in cities including Dezful, Isfahan, and Shiraz.
CENTCOM strongly urged civilians in Iran to remain at home, stating that the Iranian government’s actions are knowingly placing innocent lives in danger.
The U.S. military also accused Iran of threatening civilians across the Middle East by targeting civilian infrastructure, including airports, hotels, and residential neighborhoods.
“Iran’s terrorist regime is blatantly disregarding civilian lives by attacking Gulf partners while compromising the safety of their own people,” said Brad Cooper, commander of CENTCOM.
The statement added that Iran has launched hundreds of ballistic missiles and thousands of one-way attack drones since February 28. However, CENTCOM said launch rates have significantly declined as U.S. and partner forces continue to destroy Iran’s military capabilities.
The U.S. military emphasized that it takes precautions to reduce harm to civilians but cannot guarantee safety near facilities used by Iranian forces for military purposes.