- Iran
- IRIB
- Live Broadcast
- Israel
Live program disrupted by sudden assault on state television in IR. - Live broadcast disrupted by sudden attack on Iranian state television
A jarring incident unfolded on June 16, 2025, when the IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) headquarters in Tehran, Iran, was struck by a sudden Israeli military attack during a live broadcast. As news anchor Sahar Emami was on air, the program was abruptly disrupted, with Emami hastily exiting the camera's view amid the chaos of the strikes [1][2][3][4].
Tragically, two Iranian journalists lost their lives in the attack: Nima Rajabpour, editor-in-chief of State TV news channel Khabar, and Masoumeh Azimi, a secretary at IRIB. Several other journalists were reported injured. Footage of the assault exposed a scene of dust, debris, smoke, and flames around the state TV building [1][3][4].
Israel's Defense Minister, Israel Katz, swiftly took credit for the strike, labeling it a precise attack on Iran's "propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority." Katz claimed the IDF targeted a communication center used by the Iranian military posing as civilian media operations and anticipated Iran's state television and radio would vanish, issuing a broad warning that they would continue striking Iranian targets [1][3][4].
Preliminary to the attack, the Israeli military reportedly issued an evacuation advisory for the district accommodating the IRIB headquarters. The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) condemned the attack and the loss of life among media personnel, urging all parties in the conflict to refrain from targeting journalists and media facilities [1].
Iranian officials, including Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei, denounced the strike as a war crime and called upon the international community to hold Israel accountable. Criticism also arose from press freedom organizations noting Israel's history of targeting journalists, with nearly 200 journalists having lost their lives in Gaza since 2023, subsequently fueling attacks on media in the region [3].
In a nutshell, the strike on IRIB headquarters was a shocking Israeli military action that took place during a live news broadcast, causing fatalities among journalists and damaging the essential state media facility, adding to the tension between Israel and Iran with notable impacts on press freedom and the safety of journalists operating in conflict zones [1][2][3][4].
References:[1] "Israel bombs Iranian state broadcaster during live broadcast, killing at least 2 journalists." Reuters, 16 June 2025. https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-bombs-iranian-state-broadcaster-during-live-broadcast-killing-at-2025-06-16/[2] "Israeli military strikes Iranian state broadcaster, kills 2 journalists." BBC News, 16 June 2025. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-61119657[3] "Iran state TV struck in Israel attack, killing at least 2." Associated Press, 16 June 2025. https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-iran-conflict-media-96dc21afd928ef1994613ab0a43f8fa4[4] "Israel bombs Iran state TV during live broadcast, killing journalists." Al Jazeera, 16 June 2025. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/06/16/israel-bombs-iran-state-tv-during-live-broadcast-killing-journalists
- The chaotic incident during the live broadcast on IRIB (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting) involved news about war-and-conflicts between Iran and Israel.
- Following the live broadcast strike on IRIB headquarters, there was widespread condemnation across the world, with politics, general news, and crime-and-justice outlets reporting on the incident's impact on press freedom, journalists' safety, and international relations.
