Iranian media reported an unusual Israeli drone attack in Tehran on Wednesday night, with the semiofficial Fars news agency saying Israeli drones struck security checkpoints at several locations across the capital.
Fars, which is affiliated with the regime, said explosions and clashes were reported at multiple points in Tehran and that about 10 security personnel were killed, including members of Iran’s security forces and the Basij, the militia linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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The target: security checkpoints manned by Basij militiamen
(Photo: Atta Kenare / AFP)
Other sources, however, said the toll among regime operatives was significantly higher, claiming dozens of Basij members were killed within minutes.
“This operation is a joint effort by the Mossad and monarchist elements to infiltrate terrorists and sabotage the country. This operation will fail,” a “knowledgeable source” was quoted as saying in the statement carried by the agency aligned with the mullah regime.
Fearing unrest, the regime’s Basij forces set up checkpoints on major streets to restrict civilian movement across Tehran. The drone attack was intended to signal to regime opponents that its internal security forces are vulnerable, while also instilling a sense of fear among Basij operatives in the hope they would be deterred from carrying out similar actions against civilians later on.
Before the reported attack, Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah, called on his supporters to stay home. “We are at a very critical stage in our final struggle. For your safety, leave the streets and remain in your homes,” Pahlavi said in a recorded statement.
Reza Pahlavi, the son of Iran’s former shah: 'We are now at a very critical stage in our final struggle'
“Continue to strike and not go to work,” he added. “Continue singing loudly at night to show your solidarity. To the army and law enforcement forces: this is your last opportunity to separate yourselves from the forces of repression and join the people.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also addressed the Iranian public. “In the coming days, we will create the conditions for you to take your fate into your own hands. Your dreams will create reality. When the right time comes—and it is approaching quickly—we will pass the torch to you,” he said.
Earlier Wednesday, the IDF announced that dozens of Israeli Air Force fighter jets, guided by military intelligence, had completed large waves of strikes against Iranian regime infrastructure in Tehran and other areas of Iran.
According to the military, aircraft carrying out the strike missions identified personnel at an IRGC headquarters in the heart of Tehran and, within seconds, fighter jets struck the site, killing those inside. The operation also targeted headquarters and bases belonging to Iran’s internal security forces and the Basij, along with the regime’s intelligence headquarters.
First published: 08:47, 03.12.26