The United States and Iran reached an initial peace agreement on June 23, potentially ending a 110-day conflict and reopening the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz. The war, which began on February 28 with coordinated airstrikes by U.S. and Israeli forces, inflicted significant damage across Iran, though an exact assessment of civilian casualties and destruction remains elusive.

One illustrative case is a March 13 airstrike on a police station in Javadieh, a southern neighborhood of Tehran, which destroyed at least seven buildings and caused widespread damage. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed carrying out the strike, stating it complied with international law, while U.S. Central Command did not comment. The attack impacted multiple residential and commercial structures, including homes, a wedding hall, a real estate office, and a bakery. The baker survived, recalling the blast as a high-pitched whistle that threw him across the room. Iranian state media reported that up to 100 buildings suffered damage, with independent analysis verifying severe structural harm to at least 13 buildings in the vicinity.

Javadieh typifies Tehran’s urban landscape where military and government facilities are interspersed in densely populated areas, increasing risks to civilians. The Institute for the Study of War reported 285 airstrikes across Tehran alone, affecting nearly one-third of the city's neighborhoods. Some neighborhoods endured up to 11 separate strikes. The initial days of the conflict saw strikes targeting more than 1,500 locations combined, including the deaths of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior Iranian military and intelligence figures. Several strikes reportedly caused large-scale civilian casualties, including one in Minab with 175 fatalities, predominantly children, and another at a sports hall in Lamerd with more than 20 deaths.

According to the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project, over 2,000 strike events have been recorded across Iran during the conflict, though multiple strikes at the same location on a single day are counted as one event. Verifying the full extent of casualties and damage has been complicated by communication blackouts imposed following protests earlier this year, wartime restrictions, and limitations on satellite imagery access from major providers.

A comprehensive report released in mid-May by Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRA) estimated 1,701 civilian deaths from February 28 to April 8, including 307 children. The report documented more than 6,300 strike-related incidents, with approximately 77% involving harm to civilian populations or infrastructure. It detailed damage to at least 50 medical facilities, 108 educational institutions, and estimated that around 100,000 residential units were affected. Nearly half of the attacks were concentrated in Tehran province, reflecting the challenges posed by military targets located near civilian areas.

Humanitarian observers such as the International Committee of the Red Cross have noted that the use of heavy explosives in densely populated urban environments significantly elevates the risk of civilian casualties in armed conflict.

Following a ceasefire agreement in April, aerial bombardments decreased while diplomatic efforts progressed, though Iran’s nuclear program remains a point of contention. At the G-7 summit held on the day of the peace agreement, U.S. President Donald Trump emphasized that the deal was preliminary and warned that military action could resume if Iran failed to comply with terms.

Data on airstrikes and their impacts vary depending on sources and verification methods. The assessment of the Javadieh strike, for instance, was corroborated through satellite imagery, geotagged photos, videos, and various media reports, including those from Iranian agencies and international news organizations. Different organizations use distinct criteria to classify damage, ranging from structural collapse to shattered windows.

The evolving situation highlights the challenges of accurately measuring the humanitarian toll of the conflict amid restricted access and competing narratives as Iran and the United States seek a fragile peace.