IRGC declares US-Israeli universities ‘legitimate targets’ after strikes on Iran’s ‘scientific foundation’

Tehran accused the attackers of “deliberately” erasing the country’s education system and cultural heritage

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has threatened to strike two yet-to-be-named US-Israeli-linked educational facilities unless Washington formally condemns Israel for what Tehran called an attempt to cripple Iran’s scientific foundation and cultural heritage.

“The reckless rulers of the White House should know that from now on, all universities of the occupying regime and American universities in the West Asia region are legitimate targets for us,” the IRGC said.

The IRGC set a deadline of 12:00pm Tehran time on Monday, March 30, for the United States to issue an official condemnation of the strikes on Iranian universities – including the latest strikes on the Isfahan University of Technology and the University of Science and Technology in Tehran.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused the US and Israel of “deliberately” erasing the country’s scientific foundation and cultural heritage. According to the Iranian Red Crescent Society, the ongoing attacks damaged or destroyed at least 600 schools and 281 medical facilities, as well as more than 85,000 civilian structures.

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Here are the latest developments:

• Yemen’s Houthis have formally entered the war on Saturday, targeting multiple “sensitive Israeli military sites” in an attack timed to align with operations carried out by Iran and Hezbollah.

• The Israeli military has confirmed the attack that killed Al Mayadeen’s Fatima Ftouni, her brother and cameraman, Mohammed, and Al-Manar’s Ali Shuaib – releasing footage of the “targeted strike” and claiming that Shuaib was a “terrorist… under the guise of a journalist.”

• In the meantime, the US Central Command said the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship, which is based in Japan, has joined the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier in the region. The new reinforcements include around 3,500 US sailors and Marines with transport and strike aircraft, as well as amphibious assault assets.

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