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Israel launched air strikes on Tehran’s notorious Evin prison, causing panic and chaos among inmates in one of the worst days of bombing on Iran since the war began this month.
Israel escalated its attacks on Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj on Monday, claiming it targeted military bases and the entrance gate of Evin prison, an infamous facility known for housing political prisoners, activists and foreigners accused of espionage.
Iranian media reported that a separate electricity facility was also hit, resulting in several hours of power outages in some neighbourhoods.
The strikes across the capital — which came as Iran launched its own round of strikes on Israel — enraged and frightened many Iranians.
But the direct hit on the prison’s front gate particularly shocked the public. Many residents viewed it as a sign of Israel’s lack of restraint, although Iranian opposition overseas claimed that the prison was hit as a symbol of the regime’s repression.
Sajedeh Arabsorkhi, a social activist formerly imprisoned for a year on charges of “propaganda against the Islamic republic”, spoke out about the targeting of Evin. “The area near the entrance is usually busy, not just with guards, but also with people brought in for initial judicial processing,” she told the Financial Times.
“Prison is like a hospital; those inside are helpless. How can Israel justify striking prisoners who cannot even flee?” Arabsorkhi added. “Claiming this is about targeting a symbol of the regime . . . is deceitful and shameful.”
“Israel’s aim is clear: to intimidate the public.”
According to a source familiar with the incident, Israeli intelligence sent dozens of text and phone messages in Farsi to senior officials at Evin before the air strike, reportedly warning them to evacuate and release dissidents held inside. Calls were also made to the officials’ family members.
The source indicated the strike was intended to avoid harming prisoners.
Iranian state television confirmed damage to the prison’s entrance and aired footage of what it said was debris inside the prison — including a severely damaged 48-bed hospital — as rescue workers carried injured and recovered bodies from beneath the rubble. Authorities did not release any casualty figures.
Iran’s judiciary confirmed that the prison was damaged but stated that “the situation is under control”.
Located in the northwestern part of Tehran, Evin has a long and controversial history as the country’s most notorious detention facility.
It was built before the 1979 Islamic Revolution under Mohammad Reza Shah Pahlavi’s regime, originally intended for housing political prisoners. It went on to become a site for detaining political opponents of the Islamic regime, including journalists, intellectuals, and activists.
The number of inmates currently held in Evin remains unclear, and the facility includes numerous solitary confinement cells.
Leading political prisoner Mostafa Tajzadeh was able to send a message to his wife on Monday assuring her of his safety. State television also broadcast footage showing other prisoners making phone calls to reassure their families.
Since Israel’s war against Iran on June 13, Israel has reportedly killed at least 17 senior military commanders and a dozen nuclear scientists. Iran’s health ministry says 430 people have been killed and 3,500 injured in the country so far.
Israeli officials say 24 people have been killed and more than 1,000 injured in Iranian strikes.
Many civilians have also died in Israeli air strikes on residential areas targeting high-profile Iranian individuals.
“Under the pretext of killing military leaders, Israel is killing women and children,” Arabsorkhi said. “In what court are these acts justified?”
Additional reporting by Neri Zilber in Tel Aviv
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