Iran has accused the United States of committing a “cowardly war crime” by striking near a children’s cancer hospital and compared its actions to Israel’s targeting of healthcare facilities in Gaza.

A doctor at the treatment centre told reporters the blast was “intense” and “so close” that they thought the hospital had been hit.

“This constitutes a cowardly war crime against the most innocent of human beings – children who are bravely fighting for their lives.”

Dr Majid Bou’azar, manager of the hospital, told Al Jazeera the 211 patients “were forced to relocate” because of the strikes.

“These are special patients, including cancer patients, who are hospitalised here … Some of the patients [were] on oxygen and ventilators,” another staff member told Al Jazeera. “Some people had children in their arms, some had IVs in their hands, and some were in wheelchairs.”