Fresh Israeli Airstrikes Hit Tehran; Khamenei’s Wife Dies from Injuries

Israel launched new waves of strikes on Tehran, less than an hour after issuing an evacuation warning to nearby residents, according to the Israel Defence Forces.

Iranian state television, as quoted by The Hill, reported that Khamenei’s wife, Mansoureh Khojasteh, 78, has died after being injured in the joint US-Israeli strikes.

The Times of Israel noted that Khojasteh went into a coma following Saturday’s strikes and that the couple married in 1964.

The Israel Defence Forces confirmed an attack on a studio complex of Iran Broadcasting, saying it had “dismantled the Iranian terrorist regime’s communications center.”

Iran’s state-affiliated Press TV posted on Telegram that the broadcaster’s headquarters “has been targeted by US-Israeli airstrikes.”

Did Israeli Strikes on Tehran Disrupt IRIB Broadcast Operations?

However, the media company insisted that “there has been no disruption and the IRIB channels are functioning without problem,” CNN reported.

Israel said the center struck was “recently used by the Iranian regime’s forces to advance military activities under the guise of civilian activity and assets, in addition to the propaganda activities that emanate from the communications center,” the Israeli Air Force said in its post on X.

The strikes followed an unprecedented evacuation notice from the Israel Defence Forces to residents of Tehran’s Evin neighbourhood, where state media and other targets are based.

An IDF spokesperson warned that Israeli forces would target Iranian military infrastructure “in the coming hours” and urged civilians to leave, saying, “For your safety and well-being, we request that you immediately evacuate the designated area...” and warned that not evacuating “puts your lives at risk,” CNN reported.

The targeted area is the same site hit in a previous strike in June, when a loud explosion was heard during a live broadcast and Iran’s state media later reported that one of its workers was killed.

Why Did the Israel Defence Forces Issue Evacuation Warnings in Southern Lebanon and Beirut?

In coordination with its operations in Iran, the Israel Defence Forces also issued warnings to civilians in parts of southern Lebanon, urging people in multiple villages to evacuate ahead of strikes on Hezbollah-linked targets.

In a video posted in Arabic, an IDF spokesperson said Hezbollah’s activities were prompting Israeli action and that civilians should move north of a designated line for their safety.

The Israeli military also issued guidance for residents of buildings in Beirut’s southern suburb of Haret Hreik to leave, stating, “You are in close proximity to Hezbollah facilities... For your safety and the safety of your families, you must evacuate these buildings immediately and remain at a distance of at least 300 meters.”

Beyond the broadcast studio complex, the Israel Defence Forces said its strikes hit “headquarters, bases, and regional command centers of the Iranian terrorist regime’s internal security bodies,” as well as “more than 10 sites belonging to the regime’s main intelligence services” under Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence.

It also said multiple missile launchers and ballistic missile arrays were targeted, marking a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict.

The Israel Defence Forces and the Israeli Air Force confirmed that missiles were launched from Iran toward the territory of Israel, prompting the activation of Israeli defence systems and the issuance of air-raid warnings in various regions.

“One must enter protected spaces upon receiving the alert and remain in them until a new announcement. Exit from the protected space will be permitted only after receiving an explicit directive; continue to act in accordance with Home Front Command directives,” the post further added.

The escalation follows coordinated US and Israeli airstrikes across multiple Iranian cities on February 28 that targeted military command centres, air-defence systems, missile sites and key regime infrastructure, resulting in the death of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and four senior military and security officials.

In response to the February 28 strikes, Iran retaliated by launching ballistic missiles and drones at US assets and allies across the region, including Israel, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan, widening the conflict in the Middle East and heightening risks for civilians and expatriates alike.

(With inputs from ANI)