US President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the Middle East’s tallest bridge in Iran had been destroyed, escalating regional tensions.
The B1 bridge in Karaj, southwest of Tehran, was struck hours after Trump threatened to bomb Iran “back to the Stone Ages.”
Alborz province deputy governor Ghodratollah Seif said eight people were killed and 95 wounded in the attack, according to state media.
AFP could not independently verify casualties or assess the sites due to reporting restrictions imposed by Iranian authorities.
Trump shared footage of smoke rising from the bridge on social media, warning that further destruction would follow unless Iran negotiates.
“The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again – Much more to follow!” Trump wrote online.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned the strike, saying attacks on civilian structures would not force Iranians to surrender.
State television reported two US-Israeli strikes on the B1 bridge, with the second hitting as emergency teams assisted initial victims.
The B1 bridge, still under construction, has a 447-foot column and is described by Iranian media as the tallest in the region.
Trump’s comments come after his Wednesday speech claiming the war, launched February 28, would soon end unless Iran yields to demands.
He warned in prime-time remarks that over the next few weeks, Iran would be brought “back to the Stone Ages” if defiant.
The strikes and public threats mark a dangerous escalation in the five-week conflict, raising fears of further civilian casualties across the region.