OAN Staff Blake Wolf
4:00 PM – Monday, June 16, 2025
Amidst Israel’s ongoing war with Iran, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) struck the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network in Tehran on Monday afternoon, announcing that it was being utilized for military purposes by the Iranian Armed Forces.
The now-viral video footage showcases the moment that the station’s building was bombed, live on air, as a loud explosion could be heard — eventually resulting in the anchor fleeing for safety.
Soon after, the IDF told Israeli and Western press outlets that the building was being utilized by the Iranian military under the guise of civilian activity — in order to conduct war operations with immunity.
The IDF reportedly warned the surrounding civilian population through phone calls, according to The Jerusalem Post.
Prior to the attack, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that the “Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappearing.”
The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), which operates the network, issued a response to the attack.
“The Zionist regime, the enemy of the Iranian nation, minutes ago,conducted a military operation against the Islamic Republic of Iran News Network,” stated Hassan Abedini, a senior official at the IRIB. “The regime was unaware of the fact that the voice of the Islamic revolution and the great Iran will not be silenced with a military operation.”
Meanwhile, Iranian government officials have continued to condemn Israel’s attacks as “war crimes.”
“The world is watching: targeting Iran’s news agency #IRIB’s office during live broadcast is a wicked act of war crime. Israeli regime is the biggest enemy of truth and is the No#1 killer of #journalists and #media people. The UNSC must act now to stop the genocidal aggressor from committing further atrocities against our people,” wrote Iranian foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei.
Additionally, Iran responded by issuing evacuation warnings for Israeli news channels, according to Iranian state TV.
“Iran has issued an evacuation warning for the N12 and N14 channels of Israel This order comes in response to the hostile attack of Zionist enemy against the Islamic Republic of Iran’s broadcasting service,” stated Iranian state TV.
War broke out between the two nations after Israel launched “preemptive” airstrikes targeting Iranian military officials and the nation’s uranium enrichment facilities — with the intention of destroying the nation’s nuclear program.
The two nations have also continued to trade airstrikes, as President Donald Trump and his administration officials have consistently called for negotiations.
“Iran should have signed the “deal” I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!” Trump wrote in a Sunday Truth Social post
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