Israel targets Iran Guards, Tehran prison in fresh wave of strikes
Israel hit Revolutionary Guard sites and Evin prison in Tehran, calling it the most powerful strike of the 11-day war.
This grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on June 23, 2025 shows a plume of smoke billowing after Israeli strikes in Tehran. Israel said it struck Iran Revolutionary Guards sites in Tehran and the city's notorious Evin prison on June 23, instensifying its attacks a day after the United States hit the Islamic republic's nuclear facilities (Photo by UGC / AFP)
Israel hit Revolutionary Guard sites and the notorious Evin prison in Tehran on Monday, calling them its most powerful strikes yet on the Iranian capital on the 11th day of the war.
Iran, in turn, fired missile barrages at Israel and vowed retaliation against the United States after it struck the Islamic republic's nuclear sites a day earlier.
Loud explosions rocked the Iranian capital, where Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said the military hit 'regime targets' with 'unprecedented force', adding to speculation that Israel may seek to topple Iran's clerical leadership.
The targets included Evin prison, which Katz said 'holds political prisoners and regime opponents', as well as command centres of the domestic Basij militia and the powerful Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The Israeli military said in a statement that the targets belong to Iranian forces 'responsible… for defending the homeland security, suppressing threats, and maintaining the regime's stability'.
Iranian media and the Israeli military said Israel also struck Fordo, a key nuclear enrichment facility buried deep in the mountains south of Tehran.
ALSO READ: Iran strike: Another fuel crisis looming?
The military said it had struck Fordo on Monday 'in order to obstruct access routes' to the site, which Israel's ally the United States hit the previous day with 'bunker buster' bombs.
'Obliterated'
President Donald Trump boasted Sunday's US strikes had 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear capabilities, but other officials said it was too soon to assess the impact on Iran's nuclear programme, which Israel and some Western states consider an existential threat.
Sirens sounded across Israel on Monday and AFP journalists reported blasts were heard over Jerusalem.
Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Israeli military was 'carrying out strikes of unprecedented force against regime targets and agencies of government oppression in the heart of Tehran'.
Iranian media said Israel's strikes hit a power supply system in Tehran, triggering temporary outages.
In Israel, the national electricity company reported 'damage near a strategic infrastructure facility' in the south that disrupted power supply, without naming the location or specifying the cause.
Some details of the damage in Israel are barred from publication due to military censorship rules.
ALSO READ: SA can't go rogue any longer
An AFP photographer in Tel Aviv saw people rush to a bomb shelter after sirens sounded.
Israeli strikes on Iran have killed more than 400 people, Iran's health ministry said. Iran's attacks on Israel have killed 24 people, according to official figures.
'Extremely dangerous'
After the US strikes, global markets reacted nervously, with oil prices jumping more than four percent early Monday but dipping later in the day.
China urged both Iran and Israel to prevent the conflict from spilling over, warning of potential economic fallout.
Iranian armed forces spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari said on state television that the US 'hostile act', following more than a week of Israeli bombardments, would 'pave the way for the extension of war in the region'.
'The fighters of Islam will inflict serious, unpredictable consequences on you,' he warned.
ALSO READ: Assault on Iran signals 'oil crisis'
Oman, a key mediator in the stalled Iran-US nuclear talks, condemned the US strikes and called for calm.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called on China to help deter Iran from closing the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint for one-fifth of the world's oil supply.
The European Union's foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said closing the strategic strait would be 'extremely dangerous'.
With Iran threatening US bases in the region, the State Department issued a worldwide alert cautioning Americans abroad.
In Bahrain, home to a major US base, the US embassy said it had 'temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework' citing 'heightened regional tensions'.
Trump touts 'regime change'
After the Pentagon stressed the goal of American intervention was not to topple the Iranian government, Trump openly toyed with the idea.
ALSO READ: Ramaphosa calls for dialogue to end Israel-Iran conflict
'If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change???' Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
Hours later he posted: 'Monumental Damage was done to all Nuclear sites in Iran… Obliteration is an accurate term!'
At a Pentagon press briefing earlier in the day, top US general Dan Caine said 'initial battle damage assessments indicate that all three sites sustained extremely severe damage'.
Rafael Grossi, director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), told an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council that craters were visible at the Fordo facility, but it had not been possible to assess the underground damage.
'Armed attacks on nuclear facilities should never take place,' he added.
Iran has consistently denied seeking an atomic bomb, and Grossi has said there was no evidence to suggest so despite the Islamic republic's advanced uranium enrichment and other activities.
ALSO READ: Did the US strikes succeed, and how will Iran respond?
The IAEA said on Monday that Tehran had informed it of 'special measures to protect nuclear material' when the Israeli campaign began.
The UN agency also said it was seeking access to Iranian nuclear sites to 'account for' stockpiles of highly enriched uranium.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, who was due to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday, had accused the United States of deciding to 'blow up' nuclear diplomacy with its intervention in the war.
– By: © Agence France-Presse
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Explosions heard in Doha as tensions rise between Iran and the US
AN AUSTRALIAN protester with a US dollar note taped over her mouth participating ina demonstration in support of Iran and Palestinians in Gaza, and against the actions of Israel and the US. Image: AFP Explosions could be heard over Doha yesterday, shortly after Qatar, which hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East, suspended air traffic as Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites. AFP journalists heard several rounds of blasts in central Doha and across the Qatari capital, with projectiles stopped by interceptors illuminating the night sky. Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid, which hosts the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command. "The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country's airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region," the foreign ministry said. It added authorities were monitoring the situation "in coordination with regional and international partners". Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning. "Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website. Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals. Iran's armed forces threatened to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites. Last week, dozens of US military aircraft were no longer on the tarmac at al-Udeid, according to satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC and analysed by AFP. Nearly 40 military aircraft - including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft - were parked on the tarmac at the base, the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command, on June 5, but in an image taken on June 19, only three aircraft were visible. In Bahrain, a close neighbour of Qatar that hosts the US Fifth Fleet, the American embassy "temporarily shifted a portion of its employees to local telework", it said on X. Bahraini authorities had already told most government employees to work from home until further notice, citing "regional circumstances". Following the US warning in Doha, Qatar's foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said such statements by foreign embassies "do not necessarily reflect the existence of specific or credible threats". "We would like to reassure the public that the security situation in the state remains stable," he wrote on X. "Qatar continues to exert intensive diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions in the region." On Sunday, the US State Department advised Americans worldwide to "exercise increased caution" because of the war between Israel and Iran. After Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 13, the US embassy in Qatar had told its staff and other Americans to exercise caution and "limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base". Meanwhile, global airlines had suspended or reduced flights in the Middle East as the conflict intensified. Among the group of major airlines that have adjusted their flight schedule was Emirates. They have temporarily suspended flights to Iran and Iraq, which will affect passengers with connections to those countries via Dubai. In a statement released yesterday, the airline said: "Due to the regional situation, Emirates has temporarily suspended all flights to Iran (Tehran) and Iraq (Baghdad and Basra), until and including Monday 30 June 2025. "We are operating as scheduled to all other destinations. "Customers connecting through Dubai with final destinations in Iraq and Iran will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice." British Airways cancelled flights between London's Heathrow Airport and Dubai and Doha on Sunday following the US strikes on Iran. But the airline said yesterday that it was "scheduled to operate as normal" on those routes. Air France halted flights to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates until at least today in a statement they released.. It also extended the suspension of the Paris-Tel Aviv route until July 14. Flights of Air France's low-cost carrier Transavia from Paris to Beirut have been suspended until June 30, while the Tel Aviv route is closed until September 7. Germany's Lufthansa Group, whose other airlines include Swiss, Austrian, and ITA, has suspended flights to the Middle East until June 30. The Amman and Erbil, Iraq, routes were also suspended until July 11. The group will not fly to Tel Aviv and Tehran until July 31, and is also avoiding the airspace of countries involved in the conflict. Turkish airline Pegasus has scrapped flights to Iraq, Jordan, and Lebanon until June 30, and Iran until July 30. No Turkish Airlines flights to Baghdad, Damascus and Tehran are available before July 1. United Airlines has warned passengers that flights to and from Dubai scheduled between June 18 and July 3 may be affected and was offering no-fee ticket changes under certain conditions due to the Middle East unrest.
IOL News
an hour ago
- IOL News
Attack on US base no threat to Qatar, says Iran
THIS handout satellite photo obtained from Planet Labs PBC shows the Isfahan nuclear enrichment facility in central Iran after US strikes. The US launched unprecedented strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities including Fordo and sites at Isfahan and Natanz at the weekend. IRAN'S National Security Council says a major attack on US military base in Qatar does not "pose any threat" to its Gulf neighbour. "In response to the US aggressive and insolent action against Iran's nuclear sites and facilities, a few hours ago, the powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran struck the US air base in Al-Udeid, Qatar," the council said in a statement, adding that the number of missiles used "was the same as the number of bombs that the US had used in attacking Iran's nuclear facilities". "This action does not pose any threat to our friendly and brotherly country, Qatar," it added. Explosions could be heard over Doha, shortly after Qatar, which hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East, suspended air traffic as Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites. AFP journalists heard several rounds of blasts in central Doha and across the Qatari capital, with projectiles stopped by interceptors illuminating the night sky. Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190 kilometres (120 miles) south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid, which hosts the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command. "The competent authorities announce the temporary suspension of air traffic in the country's airspace, as part of a set of precautionary measures taken based on developments in the region," the foreign ministry said. It added authorities were monitoring the situation "in coordination with regional and international partners". Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning. "Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website. Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals. Iran's armed forces threatened to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites. Last week, dozens of US military aircraft were no longer on the tarmac at al-Udeid, according to satellite images published by Planet Labs PBC and analysed by AFP. Nearly 40 military aircraft -- including transport planes like the Hercules C-130 and reconnaissance aircraft -- were parked on the tarmac at the base, the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command, on June 5, but in an image taken on June 19, only three aircraft were visible. After Israel's first strikes on Iran on June 13, the US embassy in Qatar had told its staff and other Americans to exercise caution and "limit non-essential travel to Al Udeid Air Base".
IOL News
2 hours ago
- IOL News
BREAKING: Iran strikes back with missile attack targeting US base in Qatar
File picture: Iran has reportedly fired missiles at US bases in Qatar. Qatar said it had successfully intercepted an Iranian missile attack Monday on the United States' Al Udeid base, the largest US military facility in the Middle East. "The Ministry of Defense announced that Qatari air defenses successfully intercepted a missile attack targeting Al Udeid Air Base," it said in a statement, adding that "the incident did not result in any deaths or injuries". Qatar has described the attack on the US base as a 'flagrant violation' of sovereignty. "We express the State of Qatar's strong condemnation of the attack on Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, and consider it a flagrant violation of the State of Qatar's sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law," foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement. Explosions could be heard over Doha on Monday, shortly after Qatar, which hosts the biggest US base in the Middle East, suspended air traffic as Iran threatened retaliation for US strikes on its nuclear sites. AFP journalists heard several rounds of blasts in central Doha and across the Qatari capital, with projectiles stopped by interceptors illuminating the night sky. Gas-rich Qatar, which lies 190 km south of Iran across the Gulf, is home to the United States' largest military base in the region, Al Udeid, which hosts the regional headquarters of the Pentagon's Central Command. Earlier, the US embassy in Qatar advised Americans there not to go out, with other Western embassies echoing the warning. "Out of an abundance of caution we recommend American citizens shelter in place until further notice," the US embassy said on its website. Britain and Canada later cited the US security alert in their own recommendations to nationals. Iran's armed forces threatened on Monday to inflict "serious, unpredictable consequences" on the US after it joined its ally Israel's campaign against the Islamic republic, carrying out heavy strikes on three nuclear sites. AFP
