The Israeli Air Force (IAF) bombed Iran’s state broadcaster on Monday while it was on air, sending an anchor fleeing while in the midst of an angry diatribe.
As footage played of Iranian missiles hitting Israel, the broadcast was suddenly interrupted by an explosion. The background behind the chador-clad anchor turned black, and debris floated down from the ceiling, as she turned to flee the studio.
Iran has a state-controlled media and suppresses opposing voices. Journalists are also subject to arrest, imprisonment, and worse if they publish what the regime does not want people read, see, or hear.
Israel had warned residents of northeast Tehran to evacuate earlier Monday, indicating that it would attack targets in the area. Israel had been expected to hit military targets and institutions of the Iranian regime.
The IAF has complete freedom of operation above Tehran, having destroyed Iran’s air defenses in western Iran, the capital city, and much of the rest of the country.
Israel expanded its targets to include political instruments of the regime after Iran continued firing barrages of ballistic missiles at civilian areas in Israel on Sunday night into Monday morning.
The Israeli government indicated that it did not want to harm Iranian civilians. Anecdotal reports on social media suggested there was heavy traffic on local roads as residents fled the capital.
