Iran accuses US of war crime after strike forces evacuation of children’s hospital
The incident has intensified fears of regional escalation, with Iran warning of retaliatory strikes on Gulf infrastructure and Saudi Arabia denouncing Iranian attacks in Jordan and Kuwait as treacherous.
Iran has formally accused the United States of committing a “cowardly war crime” following a strike near Shahid Baghaei Specialised Hospital in Ahvaz, which triggered the emergency evacuation of 211 patients. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei described the attack as “barbaric” and comparable to Israel’s targeting of healthcare facilities in Gaza, asserting that the blast caused severe anxiety among children undergoing chemotherapy.
Dr Majid Bou’azar, the hospital’s manager, confirmed that patients, including those on oxygen and ventilators, were forced to relocate due to the intensity of the strikes. Hospital staff reported that evacuations were conducted with intravenous lines still attached and patients carried in parents’ arms or wheelchairs. Hospital Director Reza Bazar stated that US attacks on the city had effectively put the facility out of service, according to Fars news agency.
The incident has heightened concerns that the conflict, which began nearly five months ago, could spiral out of control and derail diplomatic efforts. President Donald Trump has threatened to strike Iranian power plants and bridges if Tehran does not return to negotiations, while Iran has warned of retaliatory attacks on civilian infrastructure in neighbouring Gulf states.
Tehran’s condemnation was echoed by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who accused Washington of violating the United Nations Charter and international law. Baghaei criticised what he termed a double standard, arguing that nations preaching human rights while targeting hospitals have forfeited their moral credibility. The US did not comment specifically on the hospital strike but confirmed it launched another wave of attacks on Iran on Thursday.
Regional tensions remain volatile, with Saudi Arabia condemning Iranian strikes in Jordan and Kuwait as “treacherous,” despite Iran’s insistence that it targeted only US military assets. The Ahvaz incident has also revived memories of the Minab primary school strike, for which Amnesty International has held Washington responsible. Democratic senators are currently pressuring the Trump administration to publish the results of an investigation into that earlier attack within the week.
