THE Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles yesterday as part of its retaliatory operations against American and Israeli enemy targets.
The IRGC declared that the Iranian armed forces entered a new phase of operations and warned that both land and sea would become a ‘graveyard for the aggressors’.
The aircraft carrier, which has been deployed as part of the massive US military build-up in the region, was targeted on the second day of the joint US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran.
Following the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and his family early on Saturday morning, Iranians across the country took to the streets in anger.
Iranian armed forces began to swiftly retaliate against the aggression by launching barrages of missiles and drone attacks on Israeli-occupied territories as well as on US bases across the region.
In the capital Tehran, tens of thousands gathered at Tehran’s iconic Enqelab Square, carrying pictures and placards of the Leader as well as the national flag.
The mourners chanted slogans, such as ‘Down with the US’ and ‘Down with Israel’.
Earlier in the day, the Iranian government declared 40 days of mourning and seven days of public holidays over the martyrdom of Ayatollah Khamenei.
The government expressed condolences to the Iranian nation over the tragedy, saying the crime will not go unanswered and will ‘mark a new chapter in the Islamic and Shia history’.
On Saturday morning, the United States and the Israeli regime had launched a coordinated act of aggression against Iran, targeting dozens of cities in blatant violation of international law.
At least 201 people were killed and 747 other injured in illegal airstrikes, according to an announcement by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
More acts of aggression were committed on Sunday in Tehran and many other provinces.
In response, the IRGC launched multiple large-scale waves of retaliatory strikes against military targets across the occupied territories, including Tel Aviv, Haifa and other cities, forcing settlers to hide underground.
They also targeted American occupation bases in the Gulf region, including Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Iraq, the UAE and other countries.
Iran had previously warned these countries not to allow the American aggressor use of their territory for any act of aggression against the Iranian nation.
Ali Laijani, Iran’s top security official, vowed: ‘We will make the Zionist criminals and the vile Americans regret their actions.’
Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned: ‘We will take revenge on the Americans and Israelis. You have crossed our red line. We will strike you with such terrible blows that you will beg for mercy.’
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) targeted the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln with four ballistic missiles.
Iran’s Army Commander Major General Amir Hatami said: ‘I assure the Iranian people that their sons in the armed forces have not wavered in carrying out their duties against this despicable enemy and will continue to act firmly with all their strength.’
Israel kills 148 schoolgirls
An Israeli strike hit an elementary girls’ school in Minab, a city in the Hormozgan province of southern Iran, killing at least 148 people and wounded nearly 100 others.
Officials reported the death toll from the attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh girls’ elementary school in Minab amid a massive US-Israeli offensive launched on Saturday morning.
The strike is part of a wave of joint US-Israeli military attacks across Iran that has triggered an outbreak of regional violence.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shared a photo of the attack, which he said destroyed the girls school and killed ‘innocent children’.
‘These crimes against the Iranian People will not go unanswered,’ Araghchi said.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei also slammed the ‘blatant crime’ and urged action from the United Nations Security Council.
Separately, at least two students were killed by another Israeli attack that hit another school east of the capital, Tehran.
Thousands in Parliament Square protest
Thousands of people protested in Parliament Square on Saturday against the US-Israeli attack on Iran.
Yusr Ali, from the Palestine Youth Movement told News Line: ‘I am here to oppose the attack carried out on Iran this morning, especially the fact that the British government is participating in it.
‘At the same time, they are cutting spending here. The infrastructure has been stripped back here so they can be a junior partner to the US.
‘I think the trades unions have a very important role to play in opposing this. I think the leaders have fundamentally failed to organise the working class to fight the government over Gaza and other issues.’
Riccardo Mazzoleni said: ‘I’m here in solidarity with the people of the Middle East and in opposition to the imperialist war carried out by the US and Israel. Working class people in western countries are in solidarity with Iran. We need to fight against imperialism with its wars and destruction.’
Anna from the Movement for Justice, said: ‘At this point we stand very much with the people who are anti-ICE in the States, and anyone who is anti-Trump. Imperialism is administering fascist measures in the US and wars abroad. We want the British government not to assist in any way. We want to do this by any means necessary. The trades unions have not acted against genocide. They need to do that.’
Nas said: ‘In order to stop the war machine we need to stop the whole machine. In other words, bring about a revolution. We know they will fight back, but we should be prepared to give up some comforts to achieve a socialist society.’
Bilal from Baghdad, said: ‘I am here because of the war that was started today by Trump and Netanyahu. When we see something like Gaza going on we can’t just keep quiet.
‘Although terrible things have been done to the people of Gaza, through their resilience they have shown the murderers naked, and people’s eyes have been opened around the world.’
Dr Huma Shah, said: ‘US, UK, EU and Israel have lost the plot with the illegal attack on Iran, murdering over 50 children in a girls school. This cannot deflect us from the horrors perpetrated by the Epstein class on women and children. Long live Iran!’