Iran has warned two Israeli TV channels to evacuate following an Israeli airstrike on its state broadcaster in Tehran. Iranian state television said on Monday that evacuation orders were issued for Israel’s N12 and N14 news networks.
“Iran has issued an evacuation warning for the N12 and N14 channels of Israel. This order comes in response to the hostile attack of Zionist enemy against the Islamic republic of Iran’s broadcasting service,” state TV said.
The warning came hours after the Israeli Air Force bombed the headquarters of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) in the capital. The strike happened during a live programme, cutting off the broadcast mid-show. A visibly shocked presenter was seen leaving the studio as the signal was interrupted.
Israel accused of trying to silence Iranian media
After the broadcast resumed, Iranian state TV showed a ticker claiming Israel was trying to “silence the voice of truth”. Another message on screen described the strike as a “brutal violation”.
Hassan Abedini, a senior official at IRIB, said, “The regime (Israel) was unaware of the fact that the voice of the Islamic revolution and the great Iran will not be silenced with a military operation.”
Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz defended the attack, saying Iran’s media was a “propaganda and incitement mouthpiece”. He added that Israel would “strike everywhere” in response to Iran’s actions and issued a warning to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Iran calls for UN action, warns of retaliation
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei condemned the attack, labelling it a “war crime” and urged the United Nations Security Council to intervene.
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iranian forces would continue to “pummel” Israel until it stopped its strikes. He added that former US President Donald Trump could help halt the conflict with “one phone call”.
“That may pave the way for a return to diplomacy,” Araghchi said.