Israel claims strikes on Iran’s leadership sites in Tehran as death toll in Iran rises to 787

The Israel Defense Forces on Tuesday claimed it carried out strikes on what it described as a “command headquarters” in Tehran, as part of joint attacks with the United States against Iran.

In a military statement, Israel said its warplanes hit “government and security buildings inside the Iranian regime’s command compound” in central Tehran on Monday night. The targets allegedly included the presidential office, the Supreme National Security Council building, the Iranian Military Officers’ Training Institute and other key facilities.

At a news conference, Israeli military spokesperson Evy Devrin said about 100 fighter jets took part in the operation, using more than 250 munitions.

The Israeli army claimed the area is among Iran’s most secure zones and is used for senior leadership and security meetings, including discussions related to the country’s nuclear programme. It said the strike followed what it described as “extended intelligence gathering” and aimed to weaken Iran’s command-and-control system.

There was no immediate official response from Tehran to the Israeli claims.

Regional tensions sharply escalated after the US and Israel launched large-scale attacks on Iran on Saturday. Israeli and US officials have said senior Iranian figures were killed, though Iran has not confirmed these claims. Iranian media have not acknowledged the reported death of Ali Khamenei.

Iran has since launched drone and missile strikes towards Israel and targets elsewhere in the region, including areas hosting US assets, according to regional sources.

The widening conflict has disrupted travel across the Middle East. Major airlines have suspended flights, and airspace in parts of the Gulf has been closed. Tens of thousands of foreign nationals remain stranded, some sheltering amid air raids, while others are stuck on cruise ships unable to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.

Several governments have begun evacuation efforts. The UK has announced a charter flight from Muscat in the coming days. European countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Spain, have also taken steps to bring home citizens. South Korea said it has evacuated 23 nationals from Iran.

The U.S. State Department has urged Americans in multiple Middle Eastern countries to leave immediately due to security risks.