US strikes in 5 Iranian provinces kill 14, wound 78

US strikes on five provinces in Iran on July 8-9 killed at least 14 people and wounded 78 others, according to Iran's Health Ministry. Hossein Kermanpour said 47 of the injured are still being treated in hospitals, while the rest have been discharged. IRNA, citing Khuzestan province security official Valiollah Hayati, reported that three of the dead fell near Ahvaz. The casualty figures came as US-Iran clashes escalated again after a June 17 memorandum of understanding mediated by Pakistan was declared expired. Washington had earlier accused Iran of attacking three merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz, then launched strikes on more than 170 military sites, including air defenses, missile and drone infrastructure, naval capabilities, and IRGC facilities. Iran later retaliated with missile and drone strikes on US military facilities in Bahrain and Kuwait.