A live news broadcast in Tehran was violently interrupted on Monday evening when an Israeli missile struck near the Iranian state television compound, sending the presenter fleeing as the studio shook.
Footage now circulating online shows anchor Sahar Imami halting mid-sentence as the walls around her trembled from the impact. Cries of “Allahu Akbar” echoed in the background as the camera shook and the broadcast abruptly ended.
Local media reported that Imami and other staff members escaped unharmed. Some outlets claim she later resumed reporting though those reports remain unconfirmed.
The strike came amid a wave of Israeli air raids targeting strategic sites across Iran, especially in the capital. Israel says the campaign is a direct response to Iran’s ballistic missile attack on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem just days earlier.
“We are on our way to achieving our two main objectives: eliminating the nuclear threat and eliminating the missile threat,” said Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing troops at the Tel Nof airbase.
In Tehran, the mood has shifted sharply. Highways out of the city have been overwhelmed, with cars packed tightly for miles. Many residents have abandoned their homes, heading for smaller towns with whatever essentials they could carry.
Despite official assurances, panic is growing.
Iran’s authorities dismissed Israel’s statements as “psychological warfare” and urged calm. But soon after, even Iranian State TV broadcast images of the traffic gridlock as people tried to flee.
In a televised address, Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz warned that “the residents of Tehran will be forced to pay the price of dictatorship,” while insisting that Israel was not targeting civilians.
“We will continue to protect the residents of Israel,” he said.
Tehran has condemned the statement, calling it inflammatory and dangerous.
Among those caught in the turmoil are hundreds of Indian students, many of whom are now being relocated to Qom, around 150 kilometres south of the capital. Indian embassy officials say they are working urgently to protect nationals still in conflict zones.
This latest exchange follows a sharp rise in hostilities between the two long-time rivals. Last week, Iran launched a barrage of missiles most of which were intercepted, but at least seven made impact, injuring over 100 in Israel, according to local health officials.
Israel responded with what it calls “precision strikes” on Iran’s nuclear and military facilities. Now, it appears media infrastructure is also being hit.
The United Nations and several Western governments have called for restraint. But so far, neither side appears ready to pull back.
As air raid sirens wail across both nations, the real cost is being paid by ordinary people those sheltering in basements, running for cover, or trying to flee with what little they can carry.
The battle for supremacy continues. But for many civilians, the only fight now is to survive.
