An Israeli airstrike struck the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN) studio in Tehran during a live broadcast on June 16, sending dust and debris raining down and prompting the anchor to flee mid-segment.
The attack targeted what Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz, called the “propaganda and incitement arm” of Iran’s regime. Iran condemned the strike as a war crime, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei demanding international intervention.
The strike damaged the IRINN “glass building” in central Tehran—an area where nearly 330,000 residents had been warned to evacuate about an hour earlier. The studio resumed broadcasting from a backup location after the incident.
The strike occurred during the fourth day of the Iran–Israel war, which has seen Iran firing hundreds of missiles and drones into Israel and Israeli retaliatory strikes on Iran’s nuclear and military targets.
No official casualty figures from the TV strike have been released, though IRINN staff reported minor injuries and footage showed smoke and flames. The Committee to Protect Journalists condemned the targeting of a media outlet, noting similar journalist casualties in Gaza.