Iran: 20 children among 60 killed in Israeli strike on Tehran's residential building

Tehran (Web Desk/Agencies): In a dramatic escalation of hostilities, an Israeli airstrike targeted a residential building in the Iranian capital Tehran on Friday, resulting in the deaths of at least 60 people, including 20 children.

According to Iran’s state-run media, the building, located in Tehran’s Shahid Chamran Township, was completely destroyed. “60 people, including 20 children, were killed in an Israeli strike on a residential building in Tehran’s Shahid Chamran Township,” Iranian Press TV reported.

The building was reportedly home to employees of Iran’s Ministry of Defense and their families.

The strike on the residential complex was part of a wider Israeli military operation that began in the early hours of Friday, code-named “Rising Lion.”

In this coordinated assault, Israel deployed more than 200 fighter jets that targeted multiple Iranian cities and strategic sites.

Key targets included nuclear facilities in Natanz and Fordow, as well as missile development and storage centers, and major military compounds.

Over 104 people were reportedly killed in these strikes, among them high-ranking Iranian military officials and nuclear scientists.

Among those killed were Maj. Gen. Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces, and Gen. Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), as reported by international sources.

In retaliation, Iran launched around 200 ballistic missiles toward Israeli territory, targeting major population centers including Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.

The counterattack killed three Israelis and injured more than 170 others. Israeli air defenses intercepted a significant number of the incoming missiles, but several still managed to strike urban areas.

Following these attacks, Israel’s Defense Minister warned that “Tehran will burn” if Iran continues to fire missiles into Israeli territory, raising fears of a broader regional war.

Although the United States did not directly participate in Israel’s offensive strikes, it did assist by providing missile defense support. President Trump expressed full backing for Israel, stating that any further aggression from Iran could lead to even more forceful retaliation.

Meanwhile, Iran issued its own warning, threatening to strike American, British, and French military bases in the region should these countries continue to support Israel’s operations.

The international community has expressed grave concern over the rapid escalation, with many leaders calling for immediate de-escalation and a return to diplomacy.

These latest developments have also disrupted preparations for a United Nations (UN) conference on a two-state solution, which was scheduled to be hosted in Jordan.

In response to the attacks, several Middle Eastern countries temporarily closed their airspace as a precautionary measure.