In a dramatic escalation of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran, Iranian state media confirmed today evening that an Israeli airstrike targeted the headquarters of Iran’s state broadcaster, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), located in northern Tehran’s District 3.
According to official reports, “a number” of staff were killed in the attack, with many believed to have been working up to the moment of the strike, according to dw.com
The head of IRIB, Peyman Jebeli, appeared live on state television shortly after the incident, holding up a blood-stained piece of paper and vowing that IRIB and its employees would “stand until the end.”
The broadcaster’s compound, often described as a mini village due to its size and the number of personnel employed, had been within a zone previously marked by Israel for evacuation.
Earlier in the day, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) issued a stark warning in Persian on social media, calling on residents of a section of Tehran’s District 3 to evacuate “immediately” as airstrikes were imminent. The district is known to house critical infrastructure, including hospitals, police headquarters, and the IRIB compound.
In an ominous message just hours before the attack, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz hinted at the operation, stating that Iran’s state television and radio were “about to disappear.”
The strike triggered a swift response from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which warned residents of Tel Aviv to evacuate, suggesting that retaliatory action could be imminent.
Iranian media outlets carried the IRGC’s message, heightening fears of a broader regional escalation.
As tensions soared, U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
Speaking to reporters ahead of a meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump urged Iran to deescalate and engage in talks with Israel. “Iran is not winning this war, and they should talk immediately — before it’s too late,” he said.
The strike on Iran’s state broadcaster marks a significant symbolic and strategic blow, underscoring the deepening intensity of the conflict. The situation remains volatile, with fears of further retaliation and a broader military confrontation in the region.
