Strong Earthquake Kills 5 in Southern Iran

People gather in front of their residential building in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the early hours of 02 July 2022. A recorded earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has hit southern Iran with tremors felt in Dubai, UAE. (EPA)
People gather in front of their residential building in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the early hours of 02 July 2022. A recorded earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has hit southern Iran with tremors felt in Dubai, UAE. (EPA)
TT

Strong Earthquake Kills 5 in Southern Iran

People gather in front of their residential building in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the early hours of 02 July 2022. A recorded earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has hit southern Iran with tremors felt in Dubai, UAE. (EPA)
People gather in front of their residential building in the Gulf emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in the early hours of 02 July 2022. A recorded earthquake of magnitude 6.5 has hit southern Iran with tremors felt in Dubai, UAE. (EPA)

Five people were killed and 44 others injured in a magnitude 6.3 earthquake in southern Iran on Saturday, state television reported.

Rescue teams were deployed near the epicenter, Sayeh Khosh village, which is home to around 300 people in Hormozgan province, some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) south of the capital, Tehran, the report said.

People went into the streets as aftershocks continued to jolt the area after the early morning quake, which also damaged buildings and infrastructure.

The earthquake was felt in many neighboring countries, the report said.

The area has seen several moderate earthquakes in recent weeks. In November, one man died following two magnitude 6.4 and 6.3 earthquakes.

Iran lies on major seismic faults and experiences one earthquake a day on average. In 2003, a magnitude 6.6 earthquake flattened the historic city of Bam, killing 26,000 people. A magnitude 7 earthquake that struck western Iran in 2017 killed more than 600 people and injured more than 9,000.



US Determined to Prevent Iran from Expanding Mideast Conflict, Austin Tells Gallant

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) welcomes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to the Pentagon in Washington, June 25, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) welcomes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to the Pentagon in Washington, June 25, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
TT

US Determined to Prevent Iran from Expanding Mideast Conflict, Austin Tells Gallant

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) welcomes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to the Pentagon in Washington, June 25, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP)
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin (R) welcomes Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to the Pentagon in Washington, June 25, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP)

The United States is determined to prevent Iran and Iran-backed groups from exploiting the situation in Lebanon or expanding the conflict, US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant in calls on Friday.

Austin expressed full US support for Israel's right to defend itself and "made it clear that the United States remains postured to protect US forces and facilities in the region and committed to the defense of Israel," Pentagon spokesperson Pat Ryder said in a statement on Saturday.