United States: An Israeli aerial assault struck Iran’s national broadcaster on Monday, intensifying a turbulent sky-war now entering its fifth day. As the firestorm raged, Tehran turned to US President Donald Trump, urging a direct intervention to enforce an immediate halt to the hostilities. Meanwhile, Israel’s leader projected triumph from the wreckage.
Israeli warplanes pummeled Iranian metropolises with renewed ferocity, even as Iran demonstrated striking prowess by breaching Israel’s layered missile shield with one of its most potent retaliatory salvos to date.
“If President Trump truly seeks diplomacy and desires cessation, decisive measures must follow,” Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi declared on X. “Without a total stop to Israeli offensives, our reprisal will persist. A single command from Washington can leash Netanyahu’s actions—and reopen diplomatic lanes.”
Insiders revealed that Tehran had enlisted Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman to nudge Trump into applying pressure on Israel. In exchange, Iran has shown signs of softening its nuclear stance, according to sources from Iran and the wider Gulf region.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, addressing Israeli forces at an airbase, claimed the nation edges closer to two defining goals: dismantling Iran’s atomic capabilities and eradicating its missile arsenal. “We are treading the path to triumph,” he announced. “To the people of Tehran: evacuate. We are acting,” according to Reuters.
Late Monday, Israel confirmed it had targeted Iran’s broadcasting authority. Footage surfaced of a startled news anchor fleeing her desk mid-broadcast as the impact hit. Iran’s own state channels verified the strike, while Israel’s defense chief claimed civilians were cleared before the attack.
Iran, undeterred, vowed what it termed its “most ferocious and sweeping missile offensive” yet.
The Edge of Desperation
Israel’s surprise opening strike on Friday decimated Iran’s top military brass and leading nuclear minds. It claims air superiority and intends to escalate in the coming days.
For Tehran, the riposte marks a first in modern memory—ballistic barrages from Iranian soil inflicting tangible casualties within Israeli borders. Over 224 Iranians have perished, most reportedly non-combatants. Heart-wrenching images showed injured children, the elderly, and women strewn across smoldering urban ruins.
State media transmitted stark images: crumbled presidential offices, torched vehicles, and splintered cityscapes. Tehran’s residents, gripped by dread, lined up at gas stations and banks drained of fuel and cash. Panic simmered just beneath the surface.
“I am hollowed out,” said Gholamreza Mohammadi, 48, a government employee speaking from Tehran. “My children wake to the wail of air defenses. There’s no refuge—we crouch beneath the dining table, waiting.”
In Israel, 24 civilian lives have been lost under Iranian missile fire. Screens flickered round the clock with rescuers pulling bodies from debris.
“It’s petrifying—so much unknown,” shared Guydo Tetelbaum, a 31-year-old chef from Tel Aviv. “The sirens blared. I rushed for cover. My front door blasted off its hinges.”
Trump, unwavering in rhetoric, maintains the violence could swiftly end if Iran bows to US demands for stringent nuclear constraints, as reported by Reuters.
However, peace talks slated in Oman collapsed. Tehran rejected dialogue while missiles still rained down. On Monday, Iranian lawmakers broached exiting the nuclear non-proliferation treaty altogether—a thunderous signal to the West.
“Tehran Will Bleed”
Just before sunrise on Monday, missiles struck Tel Aviv and Haifa. Eight Israelis perished, dozens more were wounded. Israel’s government said seven projectiles landed. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed their latest tactic fooled Israeli defenses into targeting each other, letting missiles slip through.
“The Tehran tyrant now hides behind civilian targets,” said Israel’s Defense Minister, Israel Katz. “The people of Tehran will carry the weight of this carnage—and soon.”
Oil markets spiked on Friday as fears mounted over Gulf supply disruption, but stabilized Monday, suggesting traders believe energy flows might remain untouched for now, despite Israeli strikes hitting Iran’s internal oil infrastructure.
This war’s brutal opening act—obliterating military leadership and seizing air control—may be Iran’s greatest national crisis since 1979’s revolution. Its once-fearsome regional proxies—Hamas and Hezbollah—have been battered into silence since the Gaza war ignited.
Netanyahu has clarified that dethroning Iran’s rulers isn’t the primary motive. But such an outcome wouldn’t be unwelcome, as reported by Reuters.
Iran’s currency continues its tailspin, dropping over 10% against the dollar since Israel’s offensive began.
In East Tehran, Arshia, a 29-year-old art instructor, packed his family off to Damavand. “My parents are petrified. Night after night, bombings. No sirens, no bunkers—just darkness. Why must we bleed for the regime’s crusades?” he whispered, name withheld for fear of retribution.
