Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State Television During Live Broadcast
An Israeli airstrike hit the building housing Iran’s state-run television during a live news broadcast on Monday, as the war entered its fourth day.
The Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) was broadcasting live when bombs struck the building. Dust and debris filled the studio, forcing news anchor Sahar Emami to flee the set.
As seen in the footage now circulating widely on social media, shouts of “Allahu Akbar” echoed in the background as chaos unfolded off-camera.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) later claimed responsibility for the strike, stating that the facility had been used by the Iranian Armed Forces for military purposes. The IDF said it provided effective advance warning to the civilian population prior to the strike, in an effort to minimize harm to civilians.
The strike on the broadcast building comes four days after Israel’s surprise attack on Iranian nuclear sites on Friday morning. Since then, Iran has launched retaliatory missile strikes on Israeli cities, primarily targeting densely populated areas between Tel Aviv and the port of Haifa.
In response, Israel carried out attacks on military targets within Iran. On Sunday, approximately 100 military targets were struck, including missile launchers, command centers, and weapons production sites, according to IDF.
Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday called for the immediate evacuation of Tehran, hours after urging Iran’s leadership to sign a deal limiting its nuclear program.
“Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “What a shame, and a waste of human life. Simply put, Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon. I’ve said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
It was unclear what Trump was specifically referring to, but hours earlier, he said Iran wanted to make a deal. He did not provide further details.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected Iran’ supposed interest in returning to nuclear negotiations. “They want to continue to have these fake talks in which they lie, they cheat, they string the U.S. along,” he told ABC News. “And, you know, we have very solid intel on that.”
Netanyahu also said that targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei remains a possible option to end the war with Iran.
As of early Monday, the death toll in Iran stood at 224, according to the Ministry of Health. In Israel, 24 people have been killed and 592 injured, the Prime Minister’s office reported Monday morning.
