Evin Prison Hit As Israel Escalates Attacks On Iranian Capital
TEHRAN, June 23: Israel launched a powerful airstrike on Evin Prison in northern Tehran on Monday, marking what it described as its most intense assault on the Iranian capital to date, just one day after the United States officially entered the conflict. Evin Prison, long considered a symbol of Iran's political power structure, has historically housed political prisoners, opposition figures, and foreign detainees since the 1979 revolution.
In response, Iran reiterated earlier threats to retaliate against the U.S., but more than 24 hours after American bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities, no significant counterattack had materialized. U.S. President Donald Trump further escalated tensions by publicly speculating about regime change in Iran.
Despite the rising hostilities, oil prices remained largely stable on the first trading day after the U.S. joined the war, indicating that global markets were skeptical Iran would disrupt Gulf oil supplies as it had threatened.
Footage aired by Iran's state-run IRIB network showed rescue workers searching through the flattened ruins of Evin Prison, with scenes of injured individuals being carried out on stretchers. The judiciary's Mizan news agency reported that emergency measures were underway to ensure the health and safety of the remaining inmates.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing a fiery explosion at a building marked as the prison entrance, captioned with the phrase 'Viva la libertad!' (Long live freedom). While Reuters was unable to independently verify that specific clip, other verified footage confirmed the aftermath of the attack.
In addition to the strike on Evin, the Israeli military confirmed it had targeted several command centers of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which oversee internal security operations around Tehran. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared, 'The IDF is now hitting regime targets and instruments of state repression in central Tehran with unprecedented force.'
Iranian media offered conflicting accounts of the full extent of damage across Tehran—a city of 10 million that has seen waves of residents fleeing after 10 straight days of aerial bombardments.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
2 hours ago
- Arab Times
Missiles Reportedly Seen Over Qatar; Explosions boom
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Explosions boomed in Qatar on Monday night as witnesses said they saw what appeared to be missiles in the skies over the country. There was no immediate acknowledgment from Qatari authorities of any attack. The reports emerged as Qatar closed its airspace amid Iranian threats to retaliate against the United States over its bombing early Sunday of three Iranian nuclear sites. Israel on Monday expanded its war against Iran to include targets associated with the country's struggling theocracy, striking the gate of a Tehran prison notorious for holding political activists and hitting the headquarters of the military force that suppressed recent protests. Meanwhile, Qatar, home to a major base for U.S. forces and a major regional airline, temporarily closed its airspace in the evening as a precaution amid threats of Iranian retaliation, the Foreign Ministry said. The closure came several hours after the U.S. and United Kingdom urged their citizens in the energy-rich nation to shelter in place without elaborating. In the past, Iran has threatened American forces at Al Udeid Air Base, which hosts the forward headquarters of the U.S. military's Central Command. Qatar, across the Persian Gulf from Iran, maintains diplomatic relations with Iran and shares a massive offshore natural gas field with Tehran.
Arab Times
6 hours ago
- Arab Times
Evin Prison Hit As Israel Escalates Attacks On Iranian Capital
TEHRAN, June 23: Israel launched a powerful airstrike on Evin Prison in northern Tehran on Monday, marking what it described as its most intense assault on the Iranian capital to date, just one day after the United States officially entered the conflict. Evin Prison, long considered a symbol of Iran's political power structure, has historically housed political prisoners, opposition figures, and foreign detainees since the 1979 revolution. In response, Iran reiterated earlier threats to retaliate against the U.S., but more than 24 hours after American bombers dropped 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Iranian underground nuclear facilities, no significant counterattack had materialized. U.S. President Donald Trump further escalated tensions by publicly speculating about regime change in Iran. Despite the rising hostilities, oil prices remained largely stable on the first trading day after the U.S. joined the war, indicating that global markets were skeptical Iran would disrupt Gulf oil supplies as it had threatened. Footage aired by Iran's state-run IRIB network showed rescue workers searching through the flattened ruins of Evin Prison, with scenes of injured individuals being carried out on stretchers. The judiciary's Mizan news agency reported that emergency measures were underway to ensure the health and safety of the remaining inmates. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar shared a video on X (formerly Twitter) showing a fiery explosion at a building marked as the prison entrance, captioned with the phrase 'Viva la libertad!' (Long live freedom). While Reuters was unable to independently verify that specific clip, other verified footage confirmed the aftermath of the attack. In addition to the strike on Evin, the Israeli military confirmed it had targeted several command centers of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, which oversee internal security operations around Tehran. Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant declared, 'The IDF is now hitting regime targets and instruments of state repression in central Tehran with unprecedented force.' Iranian media offered conflicting accounts of the full extent of damage across Tehran—a city of 10 million that has seen waves of residents fleeing after 10 straight days of aerial bombardments.
Arab Times
9 hours ago
- Arab Times
Strait of Hormuz closure backed by Iran's parliament; energy markets on alert
NEW YORK, June 23: Following U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, Iran's parliament reportedly approved a move on Sunday to close the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a key global oil transit route. However, experts have warned that Iran stands to suffer the most from such a move. The final decision now rests with Iran's national security council amid escalating geopolitical tensions and concerns over rising energy prices. Washington has urged Beijing to use its influence to prevent the closure. Vandana Hari, founder of energy intelligence firm Vanda Insights, told CNBC's Squawk Box Asia that the likelihood of a full closure remains 'absolutely minimalistic.' She explained, 'If Iran blocks the strait, the country risks turning its neighboring oil-producing countries into enemies and risks hostilities with them.' Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration revealed that Iran shipped 1.5 million barrels per day through the Strait of Hormuz in the first quarter of 2025. A closure would also hurt Iran's market in Asia, particularly China, which accounts for the majority of Iranian oil exports. 'So very, very little to be achieved, and a lot of self-inflicted harm that Iran could do,' Hari added. Andrew Bishop, senior partner and global head of policy research at Signum Global Advisors, supported this view, saying Iran 'will not want to antagonize China.' He further noted that disrupting supplies would 'put a target' on Iran's own oil production, export infrastructure, and regime 'at a time when there is little reason to doubt U.S. and Israeli resolve in being 'trigger-happy.'' Clayton Seigle, senior fellow for Energy Security and Climate Change at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, emphasized China's stake in the matter, stating, 'China is very dependent on oil flows from the Gulf, not just Iran. Its national security interest really would value stabilization of the situation and a de-escalation enabling safe flows of oil and gas through the strait.' According to the Joint Maritime Information Center, there are currently no indications of threats to commercial shipping in the waterway. It confirmed that 'U.S.-associated vessels have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz without interruption, which is a positive sign for the immediate future.' The Strait of Hormuz is the only sea route from the Persian Gulf to the open ocean, with about 20% of the world's oil transiting through it. The U.S. Energy Information Administration calls it the 'world's most important oil transit chokepoint.' Bishop said, 'Iran's operations in and around Hormuz are unlikely to be 'all or nothing'—but instead move along a sliding scale from total disruption to none at all.' He added, 'The best strategy [for Iran] would be to rattle Hormuz oil flows just enough to hurt the U.S. via moderate upward price movement, but not enough to provoke a major U.S. response against Iran's oil production and export capacity.' On Sunday, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, warned in a post on X that U.S. pump prices could rise to $3.35-$3.50 per gallon in the coming days, compared to a national average of $3.139 for the week of June 16. Should Iran decide to close the strait, David Roche, strategist at Quantum Strategy, said it would likely use small boats for a partial blockade or possibly mine the waterway for a more complete closure. In a Sunday note, S&P Global Commodity Insights stated that any closure would not only affect Iran's exports but also those of neighboring Gulf countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar. This could potentially remove over 17 billion barrels of oil from global markets and disrupt regional refineries due to feedstock shortages, affecting Asia, Europe, and North America. S&P also warned that natural gas flows could be 'severely impacted,' especially Qatar's exports of about 77 million metric tons per year, which represent roughly 20% of global LNG supply. 'Alternative supply routes for Middle Eastern oil and gas are limited, with pipeline capacity insufficient to offset potential maritime disruptions through the Persian Gulf and Red Sea,' the report added. The Commonwealth Bank of Australia highlighted the limited alternatives, noting that pipelines in Saudi Arabia and the UAE have a combined spare capacity of only 2.6 million barrels per day, compared to about 20 million barrels per day transported through the strait. All these factors contribute to upside risks for energy prices. Goldman Sachs estimates the market is currently pricing in a geopolitical risk premium of $12 per barrel. The firm projects that if oil flows through the strait dropped by 50% for one month, then remained down by 10% for another 11 months, Brent crude prices could 'briefly jump' to around $110 per barrel. As global eyes remain fixed on the region, experts caution that Iran's threat to close the Strait of Hormuz could inflict significant self-harm, with profound consequences for global energy markets and regional stability.
