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

Experts say internet, media and government restrictions have all hampered casualty reporting across the region.

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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.