UN watchdog confirms Iran's nuke facility hit as death toll rises to 787 on Day 4

Damage has been confirmed at Iran’s underground Natanz nuclear facility even as the war between the US, Israel and Iran entered its fourth day with a rising death toll and widening regional fallout.

The International Atomic Energy Agency said entrance buildings at the Natanz site had been damaged. However, the agency added that no radiological consequence is expected from the impact. Earlier, it had been stated that no Iranian nuclear sites had been struck.

The confirmation came as the number of people killed in US-Israeli strikes climbed to 787, according to Iranian state media, citing the Iranian Red Crescent. The toll stood at 555 a day earlier.

Strait of Hormuz closure

Tehran announced the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, warning that any vessel attempting to pass through the strategic waterway would be set ablaze. The strait is a vital corridor for global oil shipments, and the move has already rattled energy markets and shipping routes.

Iran has also held a funeral ceremony for 165 schoolgirls and staff killed in Minab during an attack that Iranian authorities attribute to US and Israeli forces.

Conflict intensifies

The military campaign began on February 28 with coordinated US-Israeli airstrikes on Iranian territory, targeting what Washington described as strategic government and military infrastructure. The strikes resulted in the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, along with other senior political and military figures.

US officials said the operations were aimed at degrading Iran’s ballistic missile and nuclear capabilities and pre-empting imminent threats. Israel said it had delivered “severe blows” to Iran’s command and control systems and Revolutionary Guard facilities.

President Donald Trump declined to rule out the deployment of ground troops, indicating that Washington was prepared for a prolonged campaign.

Iran retaliates

Tehran responded with missile and drone attacks on US military installations and allied targets across the Gulf. Satellite imagery suggests that at least six American facilities in Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait and the UAE have been hit, with reports of structural damage.

On Tuesday morning, two Iranian drones struck the US Embassy in Riyadh, according to Saudi Arabia’s defence ministry. The impact caused a limited fire and material damage, though no injuries were reported. The embassy issued shelter-in-place advisories and urged US citizens to avoid diplomatic compounds.

Missile and drone attacks have also targeted civilian infrastructure, airports and commercial hubs in parts of the Gulf. Debris from intercepted projectiles has caused casualties and property damage in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Several countries in the region have temporarily shut their airspace, disrupting global aviation.