Israel Targets Tehran Sites in Retaliatory Strikes After U.S. Hits Iranian Nuclear Facilities

In this photo released on Monday, 23, 2025, by Iranian army press service, Iran's army commander-in-chief Gen. Amir Hatami, center, accompanied by high ranked army commanders, speaks in a video call with top commanders of the army, in Zolfaghar central headquarters, Iran, as portraits of the late revolutionary founder Ayatollah Khomeini, left, and Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei hang on the wall. (Iranian Army Press Service via AP)

Israel launched a series of coordinated airstrikes on Iranian government and military targets in Tehran on Monday, escalating an already volatile regional conflict. The strikes came in response to a wave of Iranian missiles and drones launched at Israel following the U.S. military’s unprecedented assault on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure a day earlier.

Among the Israeli targets were Evin Prison—infamous for detaining political prisoners and dual nationals—as well as the security headquarters of the paramilitary Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Israeli strikes also hit Palestine Square and military command centers in the capital, according to Israel’s Defense Ministry.

“The Iranian dictator will be punished with full force for attacking the Israeli home front,” the Israeli ministry said in a statement. Roads surrounding Iran’s Fordo uranium enrichment facility were also bombed to impede access. The Fordo site was one of three nuclear facilities struck by U.S. forces using 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs on Sunday.

An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the objective of the strikes is to exert strategic pressure on Tehran—not to pursue regime change. This comes just hours after former President Donald Trump posted online: “If the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change???”

In Vienna, Rafael Grossi, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), said significant damage at the Fordo facility is expected following the U.S. airstrikes. Grossi confirmed that Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had notified the agency on June 13 that Iran would take “special measures to protect nuclear equipment and materials,” suggesting that some sensitive materials may have been relocated ahead of the strikes.

Iran has described its own Monday missile assault on Israel—targeting Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem—as part of “Operation True Promise 3.” While explosions were heard in Jerusalem, there were no immediate reports of major damage. Iranian state media aired black-and-white surveillance footage showing a strike on Evin Prison's entrance.

Evin Prison, long criticized for human rights violations, houses numerous Western detainees and is run by the IRGC under Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The site is currently under U.S. and European Union sanctions.

Iranian General Abdolrahim Mousavi, chief of the armed forces, warned that U.S. airstrikes had given Iran a “free hand” to act against American forces in the region. With tens of thousands of U.S. troops stationed across the Middle East, many within range of Iranian missile systems, concerns of broader conflict are rising.

The U.S. government described Sunday’s strikes on Fordo, Natanz, and Isfahan as limited actions meant to disable Iran’s nuclear capabilities. However, Trump has signaled the potential for further military action should Iran retaliate.

Iran, which insists its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes, had previously agreed under the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) to limit uranium enrichment and allow international inspections. That agreement collapsed after the U.S. withdrew from the deal in 2018 during Trump’s presidency. Since then, Iran has ramped up enrichment levels to 60%, just below weapons-grade.

Russian President Vladimir Putin, a close ally of Iran, condemned the Israeli and U.S. attacks as “unprovoked aggression” following his meeting with Iran’s foreign minister in Moscow. Calls for diplomacy and de-escalation have intensified globally.

In Brussels, EU foreign ministers convened with Iran atop the agenda. EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas warned that further escalation—especially threats to close the Strait of Hormuz—could have catastrophic consequences for global energy supplies. Iran has renewed such threats in recent days.

The international community remains on high alert as tensions between Israel, Iran, and the United States reach dangerous new levels.