Israel Intensifies Airstrikes on Tehran While Warning 300,000 Residents to Evacuate Tehran Amid Escalation in Conflict
- Victor Nwoko
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
Israel issued evacuation warnings to over 300,000 residents in central Tehran as its aerial assault on Iran entered a fourth day, signaling an escalation in a conflict that has already killed hundreds and drawn global concern. The warnings came as Israeli airstrikes struck high-value targets across the Iranian capital, including state media headquarters, military sites, and hospitals linked to Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guard.
In a dramatic moment captured on live television, an Iranian anchor fled her studio mid-broadcast as bombs landed near the headquarters of Iran’s state-run broadcaster. Moments later, the broadcast was cut and replaced by prerecorded content. According to the network, four bombs struck the building, injuring staff members and forcing operations to relocate to an alternate studio.
U.S. President Donald Trump, responding to the escalating violence, issued a call on his social media platform urging the immediate evacuation of Tehran. “IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON,” he posted, adding, “Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”
The White House confirmed that Trump would return early from the G7 summit in Canada due to the spiraling crisis. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt reiterated U.S. concerns over Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed that the strikes had set Iran’s nuclear program back “a very, very long time,” insisting that the regime in Tehran was “very weak.” Israel’s military said it has targeted Iran’s top nuclear scientists, uranium enrichment facilities, and command centers of the Quds Force, an elite unit within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) responsible for foreign operations.
Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin announced that Israel had achieved “full aerial superiority over Tehran’s skies” and destroyed over 120 missile launchers, two Iranian F-14 fighter jets, and 10 command centers belonging to the Quds Force. Israeli military officials said these operations were crucial in preventing Iran from moving closer to nuclear weapons capability.
At least 224 people have been reported killed in Iran since Friday, with Iranian officials reporting 1,277 injuries. Iranian missiles and drones launched in retaliation have killed 24 people in Israel and injured more than 500. The strikes also severely damaged key infrastructure, including an oil refinery in Haifa, where three workers were killed after being trapped by the collapse of a stairwell in a safe room.
In Tel Aviv, a missile exploded near the American consulate, causing minor damage but no injuries, according to U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee. Another missile struck a residential building in Petah Tikva, tearing through apartments and scattering debris across the neighborhood.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi appeared to open the door for U.S.-mediated diplomacy, posting on social media that “if Trump is genuine about diplomacy and interested in stopping this war, next steps are consequential.” Araghchi added, “It takes one phone call from Washington to muzzle someone like Netanyahu. That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy.” Talks between U.S. and Iranian officials were reportedly canceled over the weekend following Israel’s targeted killings of senior Iranian figures.
Iran has retaliated aggressively with over 370 missile and drone attacks since the conflict began. While Tehran maintains its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, international nuclear watchdogs have expressed concerns about its potential to produce weapons-grade material. The International Atomic Energy Agency has warned Iran possesses enough enriched uranium to build multiple nuclear bombs if it chooses to do so.
The conflict has destabilized the entire region. Most Middle Eastern countries have closed their airspace, disrupting travel and stranding tens of thousands of passengers. Fuel shortages and rationing are reported across Iranian cities, compounding the crisis for civilians.
Rights organizations have warned that Iran’s official casualty numbers may be underreported. The Human Rights Activists group, based in Washington, says it has documented more than 400 deaths in Iran, including 197 civilians.
Ahead of Israel’s initial air campaign, Mossad reportedly planted explosive drones and precision-guided weapons inside Iran. Iranian authorities have since arrested several individuals accused of espionage and executed at least one person in connection with the alleged sabotage.
As airstrikes and retaliatory missile attacks continue on both sides, fears grow that the conflict may spiral into a broader regional war with severe humanitarian consequences.
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