The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday evening that over the past 24 hours, its air force has carried out three large-scale attack waves against nearly 40 targets across the Iranian capital, Tehran. Spokesperson Efi Defrin said the raids involved “more than 50 Air Force fighter jets” and included a strike on what the IDF described as an anti-tank missile production facility.
“In the last 24 hours, we have launched three major waves of attacks, more than 50 Air Force fighter jets attacked about 40 targets throughout Tehran,” Defrin stated, underscoring the operation’s intensity.
These latest strikes mark a significant escalation in a conflict that reignited last Friday when Israel targeted multiple Iranian military and nuclear sites. Tehran retaliated with a barrage of missiles and drones aimed at Israeli territory. According to Israeli authorities, Iranian counter-strikes have thus far claimed the lives of at least 24 civilians and soldiers and left hundreds more wounded.
Iranian state media, meanwhile, report far heavier losses on their side, estimating that 585 people have been killed and over 1,300 injured in the Israeli assault. Independent verification of these figures remains difficult given restrictions on foreign journalists in both countries.
Regional powers and global leaders have called for restraint amid growing fears that the tit-for-tat exchanges could spiral into a broader Middle East conflagration.
The United Nations Security Council is weighing emergency sessions, and calls for diplomatic intervention are mounting, even as both Tehran and Jerusalem vow to continue their military campaigns until their strategic objectives are met.
The article was originally published on Politics Nigeria.
