A series of powerful explosions rocked Tehran on Wednesday as Israel launched airstrikes on military targets in the Iranian capital, marking the sixth day of escalating conflict between the two nations.
Videos circulating on social media showed smoke rising from multiple locations in eastern and southeastern Tehran following the blasts.
Since the hostilities began with Israeli airstrikes on June 13, nearly 600 people have been killed in Iran and 24 in Israel, according to official tallies.
Israeli military spokesman Effie Defrin said Israeli forces had struck more than 1,100 targets across Iran in hundreds of sorties since the fighting began.
“We have delivered significant blows to the Iranian regime,” Defrin said in a video posted on social media. “They have been pushed back into central Iran and are now focusing their efforts on launching missile fire from the Isfahan area.”
Israel’s Home Front Command announced a partial reopening of the economy after several days of closures. Businesses, restaurants, and shops will be allowed to operate where shelters are accessible, and gatherings of up to 30 people will be permitted.
Stricter regulations will remain in place for areas designated as the “Confrontation Line,” including the Golan Heights, parts of the Jordan Valley near the West Bank, and areas adjacent to the Gaza Strip. Schools and educational activities will remain suspended nationwide.
Defense Minister Israel Katz said the reopening would proceed “alongside the intensified fighting that we will continue to carry out against Iran until the threats are removed.”