Israel’s Defence Forces have accused Iran of targeting civilians and using proxy groups to conduct attacks, as tensions escalate in the Middle East. Lieutenant Ben Cohen, spokesperson for the Israel Defence Force (IDF), told NDTV that Iran has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel while mobilizing proxy networks, including Hezbollah, to carry out drone strikes. He described the situation as “an existential threat” and emphasised that Israeli civilians have repeatedly been forced into bomb shelters.

Lt Cohen accused Iran of operating as a “terrorist regime” and said the country’s strategy has shifted to deliberately targeting civilian populations to create panic. “We have concrete intelligence that this is what they’re doing. They’ve decided that they want to hit civilians. They want civilians to die because they want to create panic,” he said, describing Iran’s tactics as those of a terrorist organisation.

The IDF spokesperson denied any knowledge of an Israeli strike on a school in Iran, following reports of over 160 schoolchildren being killed, but confirmed that the event is under investigation. He stressed the difference between Israel’s approach and that of Iran, noting that civilian casualties are treated as tragedies by the IDF, while he accused Iran of intentionally targeting non-combatants.

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The statements come as Iran and US-Israel joint forces continued offensive operations in the region. Lieutenant Cohen’s comments reflect Israel’s narrative that it is defending its civilian population while condemning Iran’s actions as aggressive and indiscriminate.

The escalating conflict has drawn international concern. United Nations officials have called for an immediate halt to hostilities. UN Human Rights Chief Volker Turk, through spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani, said the humanitarian impact has been severe, noting that “fear, panic and anxiety experienced by millions of people in the Middle East and beyond is palpable – and was entirely avoidable.”

As the situation continues to unfold, both military and civilian populations in the region face heightened risks, with international actors urging restraint and dialogue to prevent further escalation.

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