Israel issued an unprecedented evacuation order for parts of Tehran, Iran’s capital, warning residents to flee due to imminent strikes on “military infrastructure.”
The order, posted on X by the Israel Defense Forces’ Arabic spokesperson, Col. Avichay Adraee, targeted Tehran’s District 3, home to over 330,000 people, including the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB).
Hours later, Israeli airstrikes hit IRIB’s headquarters during a live broadcast, forcing the network off air briefly as debris fell in the studio. Iranian state media reported injuries but no fatalities at the site, though the attack heightened fears of a broader conflict.
The strikes are part of Israel’s ongoing military campaign, dubbed “Operation Rising Lion,” launched on 13 June, to cripple Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Israel claims Iran is dangerously close to developing a nuclear weapon, citing intelligence that Tehran could produce fissile material for multiple bombs within days.
The Israeli Air Force has targeted key nuclear facilities like Natanz and Isfahan, killing top military commanders and nuclear scientists, including Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi and Fereydoon Abbasi. Iran’s health ministry reports 224 deaths, 90% civilians, and over 1,400 injuries from Israeli strikes.
In retaliation, Iran launched over 100 ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, killing at least 24 people, including children, since Friday.
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed a “crushing response,” while the Iranian parliament drafted a bill to withdraw from the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signalling a potential race to weaponise its nuclear programme.
The UN’s nuclear watchdog, IAEA, confirmed damage to Natanz’s above-ground facilities but no radiation leaks.
The escalation has global implications. US President Donald Trump, while denying direct US involvement, has supported Israel’s actions and urged Iran to negotiate, warning of “more brutal” strikes if Tehran refuses.
G7 leaders, meeting in Canada, called for de-escalation, but divisions remain, with Germany backing Israel’s right to self-defence and others pushing for diplomacy.
Iran has signalled willingness for a ceasefire through mediators like Qatar and Oman, offering flexibility in nuclear talks, but insists it won’t negotiate under attack.
As Tehran’s residents clog roads to flee and Israel claims “full control” of the capital’s skies, the region teeters on the edge of a wider war, with fears of environmental disaster from strikes on oil and gas facilities.
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