Iranian state television was broadcasting live on Monday when a massive explosion rocked the studio, with the anchor fleeing for her life.
The Iranian media said the explosion happened while a presenter was delivering a live on-air criticism of Israel. Moments later, she was seen leaving the broadcast, with footage of the incident widely circulated online.
In response, Tehran condemned the Israeli strike on Iran’s state TV, calling it a “war crime.”
During the live broadcast, a reporter on Iranian state television remarked that the studio was filling with dust following “the sound of aggression against the homeland.”
Moments later, an explosion struck, shattering the screen behind her as she rushed off camera. The channel then abruptly switched to prerecorded programming.
Just an hour before the incident, Israel had issued a warning to evacuate the part of Tehran where the TV studios are based.
Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz said that the “Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece were about to disappear”
Early Monday, Iran launched another barrage of missile strikes targeting Israel, resulting in the deaths of at least eight people.
In response, Israel issued an evacuation alert affecting hundreds of thousands in central Tehran, warning of further strikes as tensions escalated into the fourth day of the conflict.
According to the Israeli military, the warning impacted up to 330,000 residents in a central district of Tehran that includes the national police headquarters, the state broadcasting offices, and three major hospitals—one of which is run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard.
