Tehran (TDI): The military confrontation between Israel and Iran has entered its fifth day, with both sides exchanging intense air and missile strikes targeting civilian and military infrastructure. The conflict shows no signs of abating, and fears of a wider regional war are growing by the minute.
Late Monday night, Israel launched air raids on Iran’s Farabi Hospital in Kermanshah and the headquarters of Iran’s state-run television, marking a stark intensification in the targeting of civilian infrastructure.
Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, strongly condemned the hospital attack as a “gross violation of international law and a war crime.”
Video evidence from local platforms and verified sources depicted bloodstains and casualties inside the TV station, with injuries among prominent journalists during a live broadcast.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz later confirmed that Israel was behind the strikes, calling the TV network “the mouthpiece of Iranian propaganda.”
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In swift retaliation, Iran launched a new barrage of drone and missile attacks targeting Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv and Haifa. Iran’s media reported extensive explosions and damage, especially to oil refineries in Haifa, where at least three people were confirmed dead.
Additionally, Iranian outlets confirmed the deaths of three Red Crescent rescue workers during Israeli strikes in Tehran.
The Iranian capital saw a heavy activation of air defense systems overnight as Israeli attacks reportedly hit military bases and civilian areas in both western and eastern districts.
The overall death toll now approaches 250, with over 224 casualties in Iran and more than 20 in Israel since hostilities erupted on Friday. Israeli Army Radio confirmed that eight Israelis were killed on Monday alone, while the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv sustained minor damage in the Iranian strikes.
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Despite international calls for de-escalation, both countries have maintained hardline rhetoric. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian urged national unity against what he called Israel’s “genocidal aggression,” while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested that targeting Iran’s Supreme Leader could be a legitimate move to end the conflict.
With diplomatic channels stalled and threats continuing, the risk of a broader Middle Eastern war looms large.
Iran’s Foreign Minister emphasized that further military aggression by Israel would be met with continued retaliation, stating that “one phone call from Washington” could change the course toward peace.
Areeba Kanwal is a contributor at The Diplomatic Insight and has passion for International Relations and diplomacy.
