Israeli Strikes Hit Tehran, Destroy Key Military Sites and Down Iranian Jet

Tehran was targeted by a significant bombardment on the evening of March 4. Videos circulating online captured multiple powerful explosions illuminating the night sky over the Iranian capital.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) stated it was striking "the military infrastructure of the Iranian regime in Tehran." According to the military, a major military complex in eastern Tehran was destroyed in the attacks. The strikes reportedly hit the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Iran's intelligence directorate, and the headquarters of the Basij paramilitary force and the Quds Force.

In a historic aerial engagement, an Israeli F-35I "Adir" fighter jet shot down an Iranian Air Force Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft over Tehran. The IDF emphasized that this marked the first recorded air-to-air kill by an F-35 "Adir" against a manned fighter jet.

Reports from Tehran on Thursday morning indicated that explosions continued to be heard intermittently across different parts of the city for several hours following the initial strikes.

Separate casualty figures have been reported since the onset of recent hostilities involving US and Israeli strikes. The Tasnim news agency cited a death toll of 1,045 people. Meanwhile, Mojtaba Khaled from the Red Crescent Society reported approximately 940 fatalities, cautioning that these numbers were not final as search operations continued in some areas.