Speaking to Al Jazeera on Monday, Jafarian said at least 1,255 people have been killed, including 200 children and 11 healthcare workers. The victims ranged in age from eight months to 88 years.

Insisting that most of the victims were civilians, Jafarian said, “They were living in their homes or [were] at their workplace.”

More than 12,000 people have been wounded, mostly suffering burns and crush injuries, he added.

The strikes have also damaged Iran’s health infrastructure. Jafarian said 29 clinical facilities have been hit, with 10 forced to shut down. In addition, 52 health centres, 18 emergency service locations and 15 ambulances have been damaged or destroyed.

Jafarian also warned of health risks after Israeli air raids hit Iran’s oil facilities late Saturday for the first time since the war began, killing at least four people.

“The whole city was dark until the afternoon yesterday,” he told Al Jazeera, referring to thick smoke that filled the sky over Tehran.

The attacks triggered large fires at several sites, including the Aghdasieh oil warehouse in northeastern Tehran, the Tehran refinery in the south, and the Shahran oil depot in western Tehran.

Israel said it struck “a number of fuel storage facilities in Tehran” that were used “to operate military infrastructure”.

Jafarian warned the smoke could cause respiratory problems among vulnerable groups, including children and the elderly, and advised residents to remain indoors with windows closed.

He also said acid rain could contaminate soil and cause long-term environmental damage.

“And this is not a military issue. … This is not a military target,” he argued.

According to Jafarian, more than 200 cities across Iran have been hit since the attacks began on February 28, and most of the targets were civilian areas.

Explosions were reported in Qom and Tehran on Monday as US and Israeli strikes continued.

Officials in Washington and Tel Aviv have said the conflict could last a month or longer, while analysts see no immediate path to de-escalation.