Amnesty International Urges Investigation Into US-Israeli Strikes in Tehran That Killed Civilians

Amnesty International has called for an urgent and impartial investigation into deadly strikes carried out by the United States and Israel on densely populated areas of Tehran in March 2026. The attacks, which resulted in significant civilian casualties and extensive damage to residential buildings, have raised serious concerns about potential war crimes.

The organization's briefing, released today, highlights evidence suggesting that explosive weapons with wide-ranging effects were used in the Niloufar, Resalat, and Javadieh neighborhoods of Tehran between March 1st and 13th. These strikes caused extensive destruction to homes, businesses, and other civilian structures while targeting security-related facilities.

In one incident in the Resalat neighborhood, air strikes destroyed a facility belonging to the Basij battalion of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) along with three nearby buildings, at least one of which was residential. This attack resulted in 16 civilian deaths. Similarly, attacks on Niloufar and Javadieh neighborhoods led to the death of at least 25 civilians as police stations were targeted alongside widespread damage to nearby homes.

"These strikes point to a series of indiscriminate attacks using explosive weapons with wide area effects within densely populated urban areas," said Agnès Callamard, Secretary General of Amnesty International. "The consequences for civilians are devastating and entirely predictable."

Amnesty's investigation involved analyzing satellite imagery and verifying 60 videos published online related to the incidents. The organization also reviewed public statements by authorities in Iran, Israel, and the USA, and conducted interviews with individuals inside Iran.

Despite these findings, neither the United States nor Israel has confirmed carrying out these specific attacks on Tehran. However, both countries have acknowledged conducting strikes against "regime" targets within Iran during this period.

Amnesty International emphasizes that under international humanitarian law, police stations may qualify as military objectives if they are part of a broader armed forces structure, as is the case in Iran. Nevertheless, the organization asserts that there were alarming failures by the US-Israeli coalition to take all feasible precautions to minimize civilian harm and damage to civilian objects.

The briefing comes amid ongoing tensions between the USA and Iran following a deadly US attack on a wedding celebration in Hormozgan province on September 1st, which was followed by retaliatory attacks from Iran against Jordan, Kuwait, Iraq, and Bahrain. These events underscore the continued risk to civilians across the region.

Amnesty International is urging all parties involved to adhere strictly to international humanitarian law and calls for an enduring ceasefire and accountability measures for unlawful attacks in violation of the UN Charter. The organization also encourages the USA, Israel, and Iran to invite the International Humanitarian Fact-Finding Commission to conduct inquiries into allegations of serious violations of international humanitarian law.

In light of these developments, Amnesty International is urging the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly to consider all possible avenues to deliver peace, security, and justice for civilians affected by unlawful attacks in Iran.