Iran says US missiles struck near pediatric cancer hospital in Ahvaz

Iran's state-linked news agency reported Monday that U.S. missiles struck near Baqaei Hospital, a children's cancer treatment center in the city of Ahvaz. Children receiving chemotherapy, their families and medical staff were evacuated from the facility amid panic caused by heavy blasts, the agency said, adding that patients will be transferred to another medical institution. The same source said residents of Ahvaz had witnessed enemy missiles hitting different parts of the city within the past hour. No immediate casualty figures from the strike near the hospital were provided. Earlier, U.S. Central Command announced that a second wave of strikes against Iran had been launched in the evening, aimed at weakening Iranian military capabilities targeting commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM said the operations, which began at 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, were directed against Iranian military assets threatening maritime shipping in the strait and were being carried out under directives from the commander-in-chief.