A military operation targeted Iranian government facilities in Tehran on Monday.
The strikes included an unexpected hit on a detention center.
And dramatic footage shows prison doors blown off.
One shocking strike just Blew open Iran’s most notorious prison
Military airstrikes on Monday targeted multiple Iranian government sites in what Israeli officials called their most intensive bombing campaign yet.
The most striking footage emerged from Evin Prison, where security cameras captured missiles blasting the facility’s front doors clean off.
The strikes come on the heels of US bombers striking reported nuclear targets inside the country.
The dramatic images have sparked international debate about the implications of the coordinated assault.
Shocking security footage shows the moment missiles struck the entrance to Evin Prison in Tehran.
The strike hit the entrance to the heavily fortified facility, though reports of prisoner escapes remain unconfirmed.
"Viva la libertad!" Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar wrote alongside video of the destroyed prison entrance.
Iran’s regime confirmed the strike on the prison and acknowledged that sections had been damaged.
"In the latest attack by the Zionist regime on Tehran, projectiles unfortunately struck Evin prison, causing damage to parts of the facility," the pro-government Mizan Online outlet reported.
The judiciary’s Mizan news agency said urgent action was being taken to protect the health and safety of inmates there.
The facility has served as Iran’s main detention center for political prisoners and security detainees since the 1979 revolution.
Built in 1971 under the CIA-installed Shah’s regime, the facility became notorious for harsh conditions and human rights violations.
Human Rights Watch reportedly documented mass executions of political prisoners at Evin in 1988 following orders from Iranian leadership.
The facility has long been criticized by international human rights organizations for its treatment of dissidents.
Coordinated strikes target multiple Iranian sites
The strikes dropped more than 100 munitions across Tehran in a two-hour period, according to military sources.
Forces also struck the headquarters of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), according to military officials.
The strikes reportedly resulted in casualties among IRGC personnel, though exact numbers remain unclear.
"The IDF is currently striking with unprecedented force regime targets and governmental repression bodies in the heart of Tehran," Defense Minister Israel Katz stated.
The strikes targeted access routes to Iran’s Fordow nuclear facility, disrupting operations at the underground enrichment center.
It’s unclear why the Israeli strikes on Fordow’s access roads were ordered considering US B-2 supposedly already destroyed the facilities.
International response varies widely
The American and Israeli operations have drawn mixed reactions from the international community.
Moscow warned that several nations were prepared to supply Tehran with nuclear weapons in response to the attacks.
Russia and China condemned the strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, calling them destabilizing to regional security.
European allies have expressed concern about potential escalation while acknowledging Iran’s nuclear program violations.
"We warned Iran time and again: stop targeting civilians! They continued, including this morning," Foreign Minister Saar explained the rationale for the strikes.
Iranian officials have vowed to respond to what they termed unprovoked aggression against their sovereignty.
The regime’s response has focused on condemning the attacks while downplaying their effectiveness.
Opposition groups inside Iran have celebrated the strikes, particularly the prison break at Evin.
Videos of the destroyed prison doors have circulated on social media despite Iran’s internet restrictions.
Strategic implications remain unclear
Military analysts are divided on the long-term impact of the coordinated strikes on Iranian facilities.
Some argue the operations will significantly set back Iran’s nuclear program and government operations.
Others warn that the attacks could provoke Iran to accelerate its nuclear development or retaliate against regional targets.
The timing of the strikes, coming after years of diplomatic efforts, suggests a shift in Western strategy toward Iran.
Prison break was inevitable likely next step for forces pushing for regime change
The strike on Evin has renewed international attention on War hawks’ calls for regime change.
Ahead of Saturday’s Operation Midnight Hammer strikes on nuclear facilities, The Federalist’s Sean Davis warned of the rush for another military intervention.
"I think the least worst option is probably Israel doing what it does every five to ten years and going and trying to degrade their ability to mechanically make this stuff," Davis explained on Glenn Beck’s radio program. "Wait to see what happens. Do it again, over and over and over. But to me, that’s a regional issue."
Despite numerous Trump administration officials insisting regime change was not their goal, Trump posted Sunday on Truth Social: "It’s not politically correct to use the term, ‘Regime Change,’ but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn’t there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!"
Following Monday’s Israeli strike on Elvin prison, independent news commentator Kyle Becker stated the apparent Israeli objective in a post to X.
“The strike appears to designed to further destabilize the Iranian regime by releasing political dissidents who may potentially lead an uprising,” Becker wrote.
https://x.com/kylenabecker/status/1937125701666107478“>https://x.com/kylenabecker/status/1937125701666107478
According to regime change supporters, the Elvin facility has long been criticized for housing activists, journalists, and dissidents under harsh conditions.
Amnesty International and other organizations have documented systematic torture and abuse at the prison.
Iran’s IRIB state broadcaster showed footage of rescue teams working through damaged sections of the prison facility.
Iranian authorities have not disclosed how many detainees were in the facility at the time of the attack.
It is unclear if dissident prisoners were the only inmates held at the facility. Locking up dissident voices should never be condoned and regardless of what type of prisoners were held there, one thing that is certain is any who escaped will likely have a bone to pick with the regime.
Actual criminals escaping any prison is never good for a society. Whether it’s done by offensive forces or defensive ones as a last ditch-effort to hinder invasion, it is often one of the first actions that occurs ahead of complete chaos engulfing a society as full-scale ground war breaks out.
And full-scale ground war – including boots of young US men and women on the ground – is increasingly likely, regardless of actual US interest.
Iran supplies US with advance warning of retaliatory, face-saving attacks against US forces hours after prison strike
Iran made an attempt to follow through on its threats to retaliate against American forces in the region just hours after the Evin Prison strike, albeit while reportedly giving an explicit heads up that they were launching the strikes.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps launched what it called a "powerful and devastating missile attack" against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Al Udeid serves as the region’s largest US military facility and the forward command center for US Central Command operations.
Iran fired at least 10 missiles at the Qatar base and additional missiles at US facilities in Iraq, according to multiple reports.
Qatar’s Defense Ministry confirmed its air defenses successfully intercepted the Iranian missiles targeting Al Udeid.
"We express the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack targeting the Al Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard," Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari said in a statement.
The Pentagon reported no US casualties from the retaliatory strikes, though explosions were heard across the Qatari capital of Doha.
US officials revealed they had advance warning of the Iranian attack, with multiple sources confirming Iran coordinated the timing with Qatar to minimize casualties.
Tehran’s response combined measured retaliation with diplomatic signaling to avoid full-scale confrontation with Washington.
Iran’s Supreme National Security Council said the number of missiles fired equaled the number of bombs the US used in its weekend nuclear facility strikes.
Iran’s coordinated retaliation against US bases demonstrates the regime’s determination to respond despite its weakened position.
However, the fact that Iran gave the US advance warning through Qatar suggests Tehran wants to avoid full-scale war with the United States.
