Moderate earthquake strikes southern Iran as military tensions escalate

A 4.3-magnitude earthquake struck southern Iran on Tuesday, shaking the Gerash region as the country faces mounting military tensions linked to the widening confrontation with Israel and the United States.

There were no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties following the tremor, which occurred amid heightened security concerns across the Islamic Republic.

The seismic event coincided with a fresh exchange of sharply conflicting statements between Iran and the United States over alleged retaliatory strikes in recent days.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed that hundreds of American personnel had been killed or wounded during the first two days of what it described as retaliation against US positions in the region. An IRGC spokesperson said as many as 650 US soldiers were casualties, including 160 in attacks targeting American bases in Bahrain.

According to the Iranian account, missiles and drones struck the headquarters of the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet in Bahrain on multiple occasions. The spokesperson further alleged that a US combat support vessel had sustained heavy damage and that four cruise missiles were launched at the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, which Iran claimed subsequently withdrew towards the Indian Ocean.

US officials have strongly rejected those assertions. The United States Central Command dismissed the Iranian statements as false, saying the missiles fired by Iran did not come close to striking the aircraft carrier. It described the claims as disinformation.

The US military said that, as of Monday afternoon local time, six American service members had been killed in operations linked to the confrontation with Iran. American media reports indicated that a further 18 troops had sustained serious injuries. US officials also stated that no fatalities had occurred at American bases in Bahrain.

The competing claims could not be independently verified.

While the earthquake itself appeared moderate in scale, its timing underscored the strain facing Iran as regional hostilities intensify. Authorities have not indicated any connection between the tremor and the ongoing military developments.

The situation remains fluid, with diplomatic and military channels under close scrutiny as both sides continue to trade accusations over the extent and impact of recent strikes.

With IANS input