Israeli Airstrike Destroys Tehran Synagogue

An Israeli airstrike on Tuesday morning destroyed the RafiNia Synagogue in central Tehran, drawing widespread condemnation from Iran's Jewish community and highlighting the escalating toll of the ongoing US-Israeli military campaign against the country.

The RafiNia Synagogue, a mid-20th-century landmark in the Yusef Abad neighborhood near Palestine Square, served as a key gathering place for Iran's Jewish population, particularly those of Khorasani origin from the northeast. Iranian media reported that the building was leveled when a nearby residential structure was hit, scattering Hebrew-language books and Torah scrolls amid the rubble. Rescue teams searched the area for bystanders, but no casualties were reported from the strike. Surrounding homes and buildings sustained severe damage due to the narrow streets, according to local accounts.

Israel's military stated that the operation targeted a senior commander in the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency headquarters, a facility used by Iranian forces located adjacent to the synagogue. "The IDF regrets the collateral damage to the synagogue and emphasizes that the strike was directed at a senior military target within the regime's armed...