On the eleventh day of intensifying warfare between Iran, Israel, and the United States, the conflict reached a new peak with fresh airstrikes reported in Tehran early Monday, June 24. According to social media footage and local sources, explosions were seen and heard across central Tehran, including at the entrance and administrative sections of Evin Prison—long a symbol of repression in the clerical dictatorship.
Video evidence indicates that the prison’s administrative wing, guard stations, and court area sustained damage. While the main cell blocks appear largely intact, reports suggest that the prison’s infirmary was affected, and the library windows shattered from the blast waves. Authorities have not released official casualty figures.
Despite warnings from international human rights groups, Iranian authorities reportedly refused to evacuate or release political prisoners from Evin, even amid active air raids. Evin Prison has for decades held political activists, journalists, and protesters. Last week, local reports exposed a violent crackdown following a prison riot in Dizel-Abad Prison in Kermanshah, where guards allegedly opened fire on inmates, killing several.
IAEA chief expects 'very significant damage' at Iran's Fordow site https://t.co/iZBuSVnath https://t.co/iZBuSVnath
— Reuters (@Reuters) June 23, 2025
The escalation follows Iran’s twentieth wave of missile attacks on Israel, claimed by the IRGC-affiliated Tasnim News Agency. According to this source, the regime launched a combination of long-range liquid and solid-fueled missiles targeting infrastructure in Tel Aviv and Haifa, including Ben Gurion Airport and military command sites. The Times of Israel confirmed that at least 27 missiles were launched in two waves. One missile struck a residential area in Tel Aviv, injuring 14 civilians, while another malfunctioned and crashed in Haifa, injuring three.
The Jerusalem Post reported a total of four waves of Iranian missile attacks over the weekend, resulting in two Israeli deaths and over 70 injuries. Israel’s military stated that it had intercepted approximately 600 drones so far, including 30 from the latest barrage.
There are conflicting narratives over the scale of Iran’s offensive. A senior Israeli official told CNN that only one Iranian missile was launched and successfully intercepted—downplaying the Iranian claims and contradicting some Israeli media reports, which acknowledged that even one missile caused widespread panic.
BREAKING: The gate of Iran's notorious Evin prison in Tehran is hit in a suspected Israeli strike, Iranian state television says.
Evin prison is known for holding dual nationals and Westerners often used by Iran as bargaining chips in negotiations with the West.…
— The Associated Press (@AP) June 23, 2025
Meanwhile, Mehr News Agency, affiliated with Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence, claimed the missile was actually launched by Yemen-based militants—a narrative seen by observers as an attempt to obscure Tehran’s direct involvement.
The United States’ recent bombing of Iranian nuclear sites has also sparked intense reactions. According to Reuters, U.S. strikes targeted facilities in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. The attack pushed Brent crude oil prices above $80 per barrel, the highest since January. Satellite imagery shows significant damage to Fordow, though some experts remain cautious about the extent of destruction.
Iranian officials responded with defiance. The Atomic Energy Organization of Iran claimed no radiological leaks were detected and vowed that Iran’s nuclear development would continue. Iran’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing the U.S. of committing “a major crime” and called on the U.N. Security Council to hold an emergency session to address “U.S. violations of international law.”
VIDEO: 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 UN chief warns of cycle of retaliation after US bombs Iran
Antonio Guterres warned on Sunday against yet 'another cycle of destruction' and retaliation following the US strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, which he said marked a 'perilous turn' pic.twitter.com/igrPBvd7AO
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 23, 2025
European officials expressed concern. Germany’s foreign minister said Iran had crossed red lines in its nuclear program and must return to negotiations, while the UK, France, and Germany jointly urged Tehran not to further destabilize the region.
In Washington, Senator Lindsey Graham praised U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to authorize the airstrikes, calling them “militarily necessary and, most importantly, effective.” A U.S. Justice Department official, quoted by CNN, said the strikes were legally justified under the U.S. Constitution.
Oil prices surge in the wake of US strikes in Iran, with US oil futures jumping 3.6% Sunday to about $76.47 per barrelhttps://t.co/UzZ91dUwNK
— CNN (@CNN) June 22, 2025
Inside Iran, political unrest simmers. New information has emerged regarding a protest inside Evin’s Ward 4 on June 18, where political prisoners reportedly sang revolutionary songs and chanted slogans in response to the secretive transfer of the political prisoner Ali Younesi to an undisclosed location.
With no signs of de-escalation, and major urban centers like Tehran now openly targeted, the humanitarian and political consequences of the escalating conflict are becoming more severe—affecting not only military installations but civilians, political prisoners, and the fragile diplomatic balance in the region.