Israel Strikes Civilian Sites in Iran, Including Hospital, State TV Building, Amid Escalating Conflict
The conflict between Israel and Iran intensified further on Monday as Israeli airstrikes targeted multiple sites inside Iran, including a hospital and a state-run television building in Tehran, marking a sharp escalation in the ongoing military confrontation now entering its fourth day.
A live broadcast from the Iranian state TV network IRIB was interrupted as a missile struck the building mid-airing. The channel’s most prominent anchor was seen alerting viewers to an incoming missile before fleeing the set as the blast sent debris flying. Iranian media have since reported casualties among journalists present in the building at the time of the strike.
Shortly after the incident, Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz confirmed that Israeli forces were behind the strike, calling the broadcaster “a mouthpiece of Iranian propaganda” and warning it was “on the verge of disappearing.”
Iranian officials have condemned the attacks as violations of international law. Esmaeil Baqaei, spokesperson for Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said an Israeli strike also hit Farabi Hospital in the western Iranian city of Kermanshah. “Attacking hospitals alongside residential areas is a gross violation of international law and constitutes a war crime,” Baqaei stated.
Footage verified by independent fact-checkers at the Sanad agency appears to show bloodstains and extensive damage at the hospital, suggesting civilian casualties.
Iran’s Fars News Agency also reported an Israeli strike on a military base in western Tehran, while additional explosions were reported in the eastern parts of the capital. Iranian media said the country’s air defense systems were activated in response to the wave of strikes.
The Israeli military has yet to release full details on the scope of Monday’s operations, but the attacks followed a warning earlier in the day from Defence Minister Katz, who threatened retaliation for Iranian missile strikes that killed at least eight Israeli civilians and injured dozens more.
“The residents of Tehran will pay the price — and soon,” Katz had declared hours before the latest round of attacks.
The Iranian government has accused Israel of deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure, pointing to the bombing of hospitals and media outlets as part of a broader strategy. Human rights groups and international observers have raised alarm over the mounting civilian toll in both countries as the conflict continues.
The escalation in Iran mirrors similar tactics used by Israel in its 20-month-long campaign in the Gaza Strip, where hospitals and medical centers have frequently come under attack, drawing international condemnation.
The ongoing violence marks one of the most serious military escalations between the two regional powers in years, with no signs of de-escalation as both sides continue to exchange threats and missiles across borders.
With input from Al Jazeera
