Iran orders evacuation of Israeli news channels after attack on state broadcaster

Iranian state television has confirmed the launch of a new wave of drone and missile strikes targeting Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa.

A spokesperson for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) stated that the missile and drone attacks would persist until morning, signaling a prolonged period of hostilities.

Israel’s Haifa-based Bazan Group said all refinery facilities have been shut down after a power station used to produce steam and electricity were significantly damaged in an attack by Iran, according to Reuters. The group said the Iranian attack resulted in the death of three company employees.

Meanwhile, three Iranian Red Crescent workers were killed in an Israeli strike during rescue operations in Tehran, Iran’s Mehr news agency reported on Monday.

Earlier, Iran issued evacuation warnings for Israeli news channels after Israel attacked the building of Iran’s state broadcaster, Iranian state TV reported.

“Iran has issued an evacuation warning for the N12 and N14 channels of Israel. This order comes in response to the hostile attack of Zionist enemy against the Islamic republic of Iran’s broadcasting service,” state TV said.

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Iran condemned Israel’s attack on a state TV building in Tehran as a “war crime”, and called on the UN Security Council to take action. The strike on the offices of IRIB during a live broadcast was a “wicked act” and a “war crime”, said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.

“The UNSC must act now to stop the genocidal aggressor from committing further atrocities against our people,” he added.

An Israeli attack hit the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) building, cutting off live coverage immediately. The blast occurred as the presenter was live on TV lambasting Israel before she was seen leaving the live broadcast, Iranian media reported, sharing a video of the incident.

Live coverage resumed shortly after. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps also condemned the attack, calling it “inhuman, criminal and a terrorist act.”

After decades of enmity and a prolonged shadow war, Israel on Friday launched a surprise attack, saying it was targeting Iran’s nuclear and military facilities.

So far it has killed at least 224 people in the Islamic republic, including top military commanders, nuclear scientists and civilians.

Iran has retaliated with barrages of drone and missiles that have killed at least 24 people in Israel, according to the latest figures from the prime minister’s office.

Iran does not recognise Israel and has long accused it of carrying out sabotage operations against its nuclear facilities, as well as assassinating its scientists.

“The Zionist regime the enemy of the Iranian nation minutes ago conducted a military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran news network”, part of IRIB, said a senior official at the broadcasting service Hassan Abedini.

“The regime (Israel) was unaware of the fact that the voice of the Islamic revolution and the great Iran will not be silenced with a military operation,” the official added.

On the fourth day of the escalating conflict between Iran and Israel, both nations have launched fresh military strikes, causing heavy casualties and increasing concerns over regional stability.

Iran launched a wave of ballistic missile attacks on Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa, on Monday morning, killing at least 24 people.

The strikes came hours after Israeli forces bombed key locations in Tehran overnight. Air raid sirens wailed across central Israel, and videos posted online showed fireballs lighting up the sky.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded by declaring that Israel is committed to “eliminating threats” from Iran’s nuclear and missile infrastructure.

Russia is appealing to Israel to show restraint in the crisis with Iran, and believes Tehran is exercising its right to self-defence, Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov was quoted as saying on Monday.

Israel launched a wave of strikes last Friday against Iran’s nuclear sites and military leadership, and Iran has responded by firing missiles at Israeli cities.

“The potential dangerous consequences of strikes on nuclear infrastructure facilities are obvious to everyone. This is a cause for concern for the entire international community, but, in addition to this, we are, of course, watching how world markets react to what is happening,” state news agency TASS quoted Ryabkov as telling reporters.

Footage from Fars News Agency showed a collapsed ceiling in the intensive care unit (ICU), with several patients reportedly injured by falling debris and shattered glass.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry condemned the hospital strike as a “war crime,” while the Israeli military said it was “not aware” of any such incident.

Satellite imagery released by Maxar Technologies on Monday confirmed damage to Iran’s missile facility in Kermanshah. Analysts say the strike is part of Israel’s effort to degrade Iran’s military capabilities amid rising tensions.

Meanwhile, Tehran residents were seen fleeing the capital in large numbers overnight, as repeated bombardments raised fears of further escalation.

In a rare statement, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the United States to intervene directly. “This is a threat for the entire globe,” he said, calling on Washington to help target fortified Iranian nuclear sites, including the Fordow enrichment facility.