Israel has launched a wave of strikes on Tehran, targeting what it called “regime strongholds” in the Iranian capital with “unprecedented force,” Defence Minister Yoav Gallant confirmed on Monday.
The latest escalation marks one of the boldest Israeli military actions inside Iranian territory and signals a dangerous deepening of the Middle East conflict.
The Israeli military said it was continuing to strike the Iranian capital of Tehran, focusing on the headquarters of the Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
“At this hour, we continue damaging and decreasing the missile launching and manufacturing capabilities of the Iranian regime,” said Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) spokesperson.
Defrin said Israeli jets were currently “deepening the damage in the Tehran area, with an emphasis on the IRGC headquarters.”
Since Israel attacked Iran on June 13, it has killed several senior IRGC members in Iran, as well as targeting the country’s nuclear facilities.
Eyewitness accounts and Iranian state media said multiple areas of Tehran were hit, including the densely populated and affluent Jordan Street District in the north of the city.
Speaking to CNN, one resident described the strikes as devastating, “It looks like they hit a commercial centre heavily. I saw at least eight different impact clouds. Jordan Street was heavily hit.”
Another resident described the strikes as “the worst series of explosions yet,” adding that the force and frequency of the blasts made the night “terrifying.”
Israeli Defence Minister Katz stated, “The Israeli military is striking regime targets in the heart of Tehran, with unprecedented force. For any fire aimed at the Israeli home front, the Iranian dictator will be severely punished, and the strikes will continue with full force.”
State-affiliated Mehr News Agency reported that Shahid Beheshti University, one of Iran’s most prestigious academic institutions in northern Tehran, was also damaged in the attacks.
The strikes followed days of heightened tensions between Israel and Iran, rooted in long-standing hostilities that have intensified since the Gaza conflict reignited in late 2023.
Iran, which backs several proxy groups in the region, including Hezbollah and the Houthis, has increasingly found itself drawn into confrontation with Israel amid accusations of supplying weapons and intelligence to anti-Israel factions.
