In a dramatic escalation, Israeli forces struck the headquarters of Iran’s state-run news channel IRINN in Tehran on Monday, abruptly cutting off a live broadcast. The attack came shortly after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz declared the network a “mouthpiece of Iranian propaganda,” vowing to erase it.
During the strike, anchor Sahar Imami was on-air criticizing Israel when a powerful explosion rocked the studio. In widely shared footage, she is seen fleeing mid-broadcast as chants of “Allahu Akbar” echo in the background. Reports suggest she and the crew are safe.
Watch: Israeli strikes at Iran state broadcaster Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) during live news cast as anchor takes cover. pic.twitter.com/Moc94wWzzB
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) June 16, 2025
As the conflict deepens, Tehran’s highways are gridlocked with panicked residents fleeing towards smaller towns. Katz warned that while Israel does not target civilians, Tehran’s population will “pay the price of dictatorship” as regime targets face strikes.
Indian students caught in the crossfire are being urgently relocated from Tehran to Qom and other safer cities. Embassy officials are coordinating their evacuation amidst growing fears of wider escalation.
