Israeli Army Strikes Weapons Research Centre in Tehran, Escalating Conflict

 The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted precision airstrikes on a weapons research center in Tehran on Wednesday, June 18, in retaliation for Iran’s missile attack on Tel Aviv the previous day, which killed 12 at Ichilov Hospital. 

The IDF confirmed the target was a facility linked to Iran’s ballistic missile program, accusing it of developing hypersonic weapons like the Fattah-2 used in the Tel Aviv strike. The escalation has heightened fears of a broader Middle East conflict.

IDF spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the strikes, involving F-35 jets, destroyed key infrastructure while minimizing civilian casualties, though Iran reported 15 deaths, including three scientists. Reuters verified satellite imagery showing damage to the facility in Tehran’s Parchin complex. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei vowed a “crushing response,” while Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned of further action if Iran retaliates. The UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting for June 21.

The attack follows a pattern of tit-for-tat strikes, with 50,000 displaced in Israel and 30,000 in Iran, per UN estimates. Global powers, including the U.S. and Russia, urged restraint, but evacuations of foreign nationals signal rising war risks. The strikes complicate U.S. President Trump’s impending decision on Iran, due by July 4.