In the latest wave of escalating aggression, Israel has targeted key civilian infrastructure in Iran, bombing the headquarters of the state-run Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) and a hospital in Tehran. This marks the fourth consecutive day of relentless attacks as the long-standing hostility between the two nations shows no signs of abating, reported the Al Jazeera.
In a chilling moment broadcast live on national television, one of Iran’s most well-known anchors, Sahar Emami, was reporting on air when she alerted viewers to an incoming missile. “Listen, what you hear is the sound of the aggressor. You hear the sound of the aggressor attacking the truth,” she said, moments before scrambling to safety as a massive explosion shook the studio and debris filled the air. Reports confirm that several journalists were injured in the attack.
Iranian authorities condemned the attack in the strongest terms. The Foreign Ministry described it as a “wicked act of war crimes” designed to silence the voice of truth. Nasser Baghaei, in a social media post, denounced Israel as the “biggest enemy of truth” and a “killer of journalists,” and urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene immediately to stop the “genocidal aggressor” from carrying out further atrocities.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike on social media, claiming the Iranian broadcasting headquarters was being used by the military to conduct operations under the guise of civilian media. “This centre was used by the armed forces to promote military operations under civilian cover, while using its own means and assets,” stated the Israeli military. However, no evidence was provided to support this claim. The statement also insisted that the strike was executed in a “targeted manner” to minimise civilian casualties.
Peyman Jebelli, head of IRIB, stated that the attack was aimed at weakening Iran’s national media, which he said had been effectively countering the “enemy’s media strategy.” Speaking to the semi-official Mehr News Agency, Jebelli declared: “Employees of the national media loudly declare their determination to continue their role in the hybrid war initiated by Israel. There has been no disruption in our will to achieve a media victory over the front of disbelief.”
The international community has also expressed alarm over the attack. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) issued a stern condemnation. “CPJ is appalled by Israel’s bombing of Iran’s state TV channel while live on air,” said CPJ Regional Director for the Middle East, Sara Qudah. “Israel’s killing, with impunity, of almost 200 journalists in Gaza has emboldened it to target media elsewhere in the region. This bloodshed must end now.”
The assault marks a deeply troubling chapter in the intensifying Israel-Iran conflict, with journalists and media institutions increasingly caught in the crossfire.
