Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran - but experts say true total may never be known

Thousands killed in US-Israeli war on Iran - but experts say true total may never be knownByChristine Jeavans and Matt Murphy, BBC Verify Published19 June 2026Thousands of people have been killed across the Middle East since the US-Israeli war with Iran began in February, official figures show, with a deal now agreed to end the war.More than 7,300 people have been killed in Iran and Lebanon since 28 February, according to official casualty reports from those countries. Among them are hundreds of children and dozens of healthcare workers. Scores more people have been killed across the wider region.However, some analysts say the figures are almost certainly an undercount and experts told BBC Verify that internet, media and government restrictions - coupled with unreliable figures due to the presence of armed groups in some areas - have hampered reporting.Dr Iain Overton - executive director at the UK-based charity Action on Armed Violence - said the conflict being fought across multiple countries means casualty figures "are often incomplete, delayed or impossible to independently verify".He added that "the final death toll will likely remain contested" for years after the conflict ends.IranAs of mid-April, at least 3,468 Iranians, including 499 women, had been killed since US and Israeli strikes began, according to official Iranian government figures.This is made up of 1,460 civilians and 2,008 military personnel, state news agency IRNA reported on 26 April.But the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said that their count was higher, with 3,636 killed.In a report issued on 18 May, HRANA said their figure comprised, external 1,701 civilians, including 307 children, 1,221 military personnel, and 714 individuals whose identity or status could not be confirmed.The organisation said their documented figures should be seen as "absolute minimums", as getting information on deaths was severely limited by difficulty accessing sites...