Israel and Iran have launched further missile attacks against each other for a fourth consecutive day, with Iranian state television briefly knocked off air following an Israeli strike on Monday.
The ongoing conflict has claimed at least 224 lives in Iran and 24 in Israel since Friday. In Tehran, residents were seen fleeing the city in long queues of traffic after explosions rang out across the capital.
On Monday evening, Iran issued fresh threats and launched another round of missile and drone strikes on Israel, prompting further air raid alerts. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard vowed to continue the bombardments overnight.
One Iranian missile struck the Israeli city of Petah Tikva. Residents of a damaged apartment complex described scenes of destruction and panic. Liel Fenigshtein told the ABC, “Our home is in a bad situation, you can’t live in it… We don’t have anything.”
Neighbour Matthew Danoff described the blast as a “huge boom,” adding: “This is crazy and I want it to stop. I hope it stops soon.” Despite the damage, Danoff said he supported Israel’s actions: “I think honestly that it’s something we have to do, unfortunately… Iran having that nuclear capability is a lot worse.”
Israeli officials claimed they had achieved aerial dominance over Iranian airspace and destroyed aircraft at Tehran airport. They also urged residents in parts of Tehran to evacuate before launching a direct strike on Iran’s state broadcaster.
Footage showed Iranian anchor Sahar Emami fleeing live on air as debris fell in the studio. The Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting feed was temporarily cut before returning shortly afterwards.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry accused Israel of committing a war crime. In response, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the broadcaster was a source of “propaganda and incitement.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the country’s actions, even hinting that the assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei would bring an end to the conflict. “It’s not going to escalate the conflict, it’s going to end the conflict,” he told ABC America.
Meanwhile, Iran continues to retaliate, claiming it is targeting Israeli military and energy infrastructure after strikes on its oil and gas facilities.
As the conflict intensifies, Australia is working to assist citizens in the region. Foreign Minister Penny Wong said around 650 Australians had registered with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) seeking to leave Israel and Iran. However, with airspace still closed, they have been urged to shelter in place.
Senator Wong reiterated the government’s calls for calm: “We don’t want to see an escalation which leads to dire consequences for the people of the region.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, currently attending a G7 summit in Canada, echoed this sentiment, saying: “We, along with other like-minded countries, do want to see that priority on dialogue and diplomacy.”
Source: ABC News
