Tehran: Israel targeted Iranian state television IRIB during a live broadcast on June 16, temporarily taking the station off air after warning Tehran that it would “pay the price” for missile strikes on Tel Aviv and Haifa that resulted in the deaths of eight individuals.
According to Radio Free Europe Radio Liberty, as the broadcast was underway, explosions were audible, causing a female presenter to leave the camera view as debris fell around the studio. There were no immediate reports on casualties or damage from the attack, though video footage depicted a large fire and columns of black smoke emanating from the building.
The warnings and subsequent strikes have escalated tensions between Israel and Iran, coinciding with discussions at the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada. Earlier, Israel’s national emergency services confirmed that 23 people have died in Iranian attacks on Israel since June 13, following Israeli air strikes on Iranian nuclear and military facilities. Iran claims that Israeli attacks have resulted in over 224 casualties during the same timeframe.
As rescue operations continued in Haifa, where Iranian strikes injured over 100 people on June 16, missiles also struck residential buildings in Tel Aviv, some near a US consulate. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz condemned Iran for targeting residential areas, while Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Ismail Baghaei urged the United Nations to condemn Israel’s actions, also implicating the United States in the aggression.
While US President Donald Trump stated on June 15 that the US is not directly involved in the conflict, he acknowledged the potential for change in that stance. Trump, speaking ahead of the G7 summit, reiterated support for Israel and urged Iran to engage in negotiations regarding its nuclear program.
In a bilateral meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, Trump expressed optimism for a future deal with Iran, emphasizing the futility of Iran’s current path.
Amid concerns of regional escalation, Yemen’s Houthis announced on June 15 that they had launched missiles at Israel in collaboration with Iran, marking their first public acknowledgment of joint operations with Tehran.
The resumption of US-Iran nuclear talks, scheduled for June 15 in Oman, was canceled due to the renewed hostilities. Iran labeled the negotiations “meaningless” post-air strikes, with Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi stating that continuing discussions was unjustifiable. However, Iranian state media reported on June 16 that Araqchi assured European counterparts of Iran’s commitment to diplomacy, pending focus on defending against aggression.
Iran maintains its nuclear program is solely for civilian purposes, critiquing Israeli actions as violations of international law and a blow to the nuclear nonproliferation framework. Iranian lawmakers are considering withdrawing from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in response.
In earlier strikes, Israel appeared to avoid Iranian energy sites amid surging global fuel prices, but Iran’s Oil Ministry reported on June 15 that Israeli strikes damaged two fuel depots in Tehran. Additionally, Iranian media reported a fire at the South Pars gas field in Bushehr Province during the attacks.