At least three employees of Iranian state television killed in Israeli strike

At least three employees of Iran’s state-run television headquarters in Tehran were killed on Monday, and several others injured in an Israeli airstrike on the building, roughly an hour after Israel issued a warning for the area where the station was located.

A day after the bombing, the broadcaster confirmed the casualties from what it described as a cowardly attack.

“Three of the TV station’s employees were killed and others were wounded in the Israeli attack,” the network said in a statement.

During the strike, Sahar Emami, an anchor for the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network (IRINN), was seen fleeing her studio. However, she returned to the air just 25 minutes later, appearing live from a different studio alongside another presenter.

Read: Israeli strikes target Iran State Tv HQ, at least 16 martyred

As the attack unfolded, people on set could be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar,” the Arabic phrase meaning “God is great.”

Nima Rajabpour, a news editor, and Masoumeh Azimi, an employee of the IRIB secretariat, were killed in Israel's attack on the national media headquarters.

— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) June 17, 2025

The live broadcast was abruptly cut and replaced with pre-recorded content. Soon after, visuals showed smoke and flames rising into the sky, and the station later confirmed that four bombs had hit the building.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baghaei, condemned the strike, calling it a “wicked act” and labelling Israel a war criminal. He said the attack had “killed a number of journalists and media personnel.”

Israel’s Defence Minister Katz swiftly claimed responsibility for the assault.

“In response to the Iranian regime’s propaganda and incitement, the IOF targeted their broadcasting authority after a full evacuation of local residents,” Katz said in a statement. “We will pursue and strike the Iranian dictatorship wherever it exists.”