Death toll from protests in Pakistan against US-Israel strikes on Iran rises to 23

Protests in Pakistan against ongoing US and Israeli strikes on Iran, now in their third day, have turned violent, with the death toll rising to 23, according to Reuters.

Iranian students affiliated with the Shia 'Imamiya' organization stormed the US consulate in Karachi, prompting security personnel to open fire after protesters breached the outer wall, killing 10 people. Separately, protesters attacked a UN office in Skardu, Gilgit-Baltistan, where 11 were killed in a shooting, and two more died in protests in Islamabad.

Suvedeo Asardas Hamnani, spokesperson for the Sindh provincial government, stated that consulate security guards fired on a crowd that had breached the outer security layer after being pushed back. He added that protesters set a vehicle on fire outside the main gate and clashed with police. Hamnani confirmed that all consulate staff were safe and that authorities were in constant contact with them.

Pakistani police reported 34 injuries from the protests. A Karachi civil hospital stated that all killed and wounded were struck by bullets. The Sindh government has ordered an investigation.

The US Embassy in Islamabad said on X that it was monitoring reports of demonstrations and advised US citizens to exercise personal security measures.

In Iraq, police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of pro-Iran protesters gathered outside the US embassy in Baghdad's Green Zone. Meanwhile, in Paris, thousands of exiled Iranians celebrated, waving pre-revolutionary flags, carrying red roses and champagne bottles.