The Iranian Red Crescent Society has reported that at least 201 people have been killed and 747 others injured in attacks across Iran, according to Mehr news agency.

A spokesperson for the humanitarian organisation said US and Israeli strikes have affected 24 provinces. More than 220 Red Crescent teams have been deployed to the impacted areas, and rescue efforts are ongoing.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump stated that the United States has initiated “major combat operations” in Iran, following Israel’s announcement that it had carried out missile strikes on the country. Iranian media, citing the Red Crescent, confirmed the casualty toll of at least 201 deaths across 24 provinces.

In response, Iran has launched retaliatory strikes targeting Israel and US assets in several Middle Eastern countries, including Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Bahrain, Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq, reports Al Jazeera.

Multiple explosions were reported in the capital, Tehran, along with blasts in other parts of the country. State media also reported that a strike on a school in southern Iran left more than 80 people dead.

Amid the escalating exchanges, several countries in the region have closed their airspace.

Separately, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei said the US attacks do not “serve the interests of the American people”.

“This is something that is imposed on Iran. We never sought war. We were going to resolve this issue diplomatically. And this was the demand of all the countries of the region and the international community”, he told Al Jazeera.

“This was asserted by the US, and we believe that it is just to advance the whims of the Israeli regime. And I think this war would not serve the interests of the American people.”

Moreover, Baghaei said that Iran was “friendly with all countries of the region”.

“The problem is that the US is conducting this war of aggression at the cost of everyone, including the countries of the region.”