At least 555 people have been reported dead in Iran following alleged U.S.-Israeli strikes, the Iranian Red Crescent announced on Monday, marking a significant escalation in the region.

The strikes, which reportedly targeted 131 cities, have resulted in a devastating loss of life, according to a Telegram post by the Red Crescent. The attacks come amidst rising tensions and ongoing exchanges of fire between Iran and its adversaries.

Official Iranian media reported that western and central regions of Iran were hit on Monday in what they described as U.S.-Israeli strikes. These reports further heighten concerns about the escalating conflict and its impact on civilian populations.

Ismail Dehghani, the Deputy Governor of Yazd, stated that six locations in the cities of Ardakan and Yazd, as well as an area on the road between Mehriz and Yazd, were targeted in the strikes early Monday. The state-run IRNA news agency carried Dehghani’s statement, providing further details on the geographical scope of the attacks.

Earlier on Monday, Majid Farshi, Director-General of the Crisis Management Department of East Azerbaijan province, reported that U.S.-Israeli strikes over the past two days had resulted in the deaths of at least 27 people in northwestern Iran. This adds to the growing number of casualties and underscores the widespread impact of the ongoing military actions.

Several residential buildings in western Iran were reportedly struck by missile fire on Monday, according to media reports. This occurred on the third day of what Iranian sources are calling a U.S.-Israeli offensive against Tehran, which Iran has responded to by shelling cities in Gulf countries.

Fars news agency reported that the city of Sanandaj was targeted by hostile missile fire, resulting in the destruction of several residential buildings near the Sanandaj police station. The report indicated that at least two civilians were killed. Tasnim news agency also reported the shelling but did not mention any casualties.