Israel Hits Iran State TV Amid Missile Barrage, Dozens Killed \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ Israel bombed Iran’s state TV station during a live broadcast after Iran launched over 100 missiles, killing at least eight in Israel. PM Netanyahu said the strikes severely damaged Iran’s nuclear program, as tensions escalate into open warfare. President Trump, attending the G7 summit, called for Tehran’s evacuation and warned Iran not to pursue nuclear weapons.
Quick Looks
- State TV Targeted: Israel bombed Iran’s state-run broadcaster during a live segment, prompting evacuation mid-broadcast.
- Iran Retaliates: Over 100 Iranian missiles hit Israeli cities, killing at least eight and injuring more than 500.
- Netanyahu’s Message: The PM claimed the strikes set back Iran’s nuclear program and denied a regime change goal.
- Trump Weighs In: At the G7 summit, Trump called for Tehran’s evacuation and reiterated opposition to a nuclear Iran.
- Air Superiority Claim: Israel says it has full aerial dominance over Tehran and destroyed a third of Iran’s missile launchers.
- Civilian Toll Grows: Israel warns 330,000 to evacuate Tehran; Iran says 224 killed, with rights groups citing 400+ deaths.
Deep Look
The Israel-Iran conflict entered a dangerous and deeply symbolic phase Monday when Israel bombed Iran’s state-run television headquarters in central Tehran during a live broadcast. The dramatic moment—captured on air—showed an anchor scrambling off-camera as an explosion rocked the studio mid-sentence. The strike was one of the boldest yet in an escalating confrontation that has now killed hundreds and shattered the illusion of limited conflict.
The attack on the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building was not just a military strike—it was a psychological and strategic maneuver. Israel claimed the facility was being used to shield military operations, including communications linked to Iran’s elite Quds Force. In anticipation, Israel issued evacuation warnings to over 330,000 residents in the surrounding area, including sites like three hospitals and the police command. Tehran, home to over 9.5 million people, now stands at the epicenter of an unprecedented air campaign.
The strike on the media outlet comes amid one of the most intense waves of military exchanges between the two countries in modern history. On Monday alone, Iran launched more than 100 ballistic missiles toward Israeli cities including Tel Aviv, Petah Tikva, and Haifa. These attacks killed at least eight Israelis and wounded over 500, according to government officials. Fires and secondary explosions followed in residential buildings and industrial centers, with casualties mounting by the hour.
One of the deadliest incidents occurred in Haifa, where Iranian missiles struck an oil refinery for the second consecutive night. Three workers sheltering inside were killed when the blast caused a stairwell to collapse. Meanwhile, in Petah Tikva, an entire apartment block was left in ruins, with emergency responders rescuing a 4-day-old baby from the rubble.
In retaliation, Israel has escalated its own aerial offensive. Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announced that Israel has achieved “full aerial superiority” over Tehran, claiming their fighter jets now operate above Iran’s capital without fear of meaningful retaliation. According to Israeli military sources, over 120 Iranian missile launchers—approximately one-third of Iran’s arsenal—were destroyed along with two F-14 fighter jets and 10 command centers of the Quds Force, the IRGC’s overseas operations unit.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hailed the strikes as a major victory, declaring they had set Iran’s nuclear program back “a very, very long time.” He denied that Israel was trying to trigger regime change but added, “I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened.” Calling Iran’s government “very weak,” Netanyahu said Israel’s actions were proportionate to the existential threat posed by Iran’s ambitions.
The Israeli operation is widely believed to be a direct response to a buildup of enriched uranium in Iran’s nuclear facilities, some of which were targeted in Israel’s initial strike last week. Although Iran maintains its nuclear program is peaceful, international observers—including the IAEA—have warned that Tehran now possesses enough fissile material to build several nuclear weapons if it decides to cross that threshold.
From Canada, where he was attending the G7 summit, U.S. President Donald Trump issued a strongly worded post on social media, warning: “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.” He reiterated that Tehran should have signed a proposed deal and called for the “immediate evacuation of Tehran.” In an unusual move, the White House confirmed Trump was cutting his summit attendance short and returning to Washington due to the rapidly evolving crisis.
Inside Iran, the toll is staggering. Iran’s government reports 224 deaths since Friday, but independent rights groups such as Human Rights Activists suggest the number exceeds 400, with nearly 200 civilian casualties. The conflict has also led to the rationing of fuel and the start of arrests and executions for alleged espionage, including one individual reportedly hanged for aiding Israel’s Mossad in the drone placement inside nuclear sites.
The diplomatic landscape remains bleak. A scheduled dialogue between Iran and U.S. intermediaries was canceled after Israel’s first wave of attacks. On Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared to appeal for U.S. intervention, stating on X, “One phone call from Washington can muzzle someone like Netanyahu… That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.”
But that window appears to be closing fast. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vowed Monday that future missile rounds would be “more forceful, severe, precise and destructive,” signaling the potential for further escalation. Meanwhile, Israeli forces continue hitting infrastructure well beyond military targets, potentially pressuring Iran’s civilian governance and services.
The region is also beginning to feel the wider effects. In Lebanon and Gaza, Israeli forces have reportedly increased aerial surveillance and pre-strike warnings, fearing Iran-aligned groups like Hezbollah or the Houthis may soon open secondary fronts. The U.S. and NATO have issued high alerts for their bases in the Gulf and the Mediterranean.
What began as a preemptive Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear and military leadership has snowballed into a full-scale international crisis. Civilians on both sides are bearing the brunt—Israeli families huddling in shelters and Tehran residents scrambling to evacuate homes and hospitals. The fragility of diplomacy, the volatility of nuclear brinkmanship, and the scale of modern warfare are now converging in real time.
If unchecked, this conflict threatens to spiral into a broader regional war that could destabilize not only the Middle East but global energy markets and international security structures. The world now watches nervously—not only for the next strike, but for any sign of restraint that could bring both nations back from the edge.
Israel Hits Iran State Israel Hits Iran State
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