The airstrike interrupted the transmission, sending dust and debris into the studio and forcing anchor Sahar Emami to flee on air.
Moments before, Israel had issued a warning targeting Tehran’s District Three, where the station is located.
Defence Minister Israel Katz claimed responsibility, describing IRIB as “the Iranian regime’s propaganda and incitement broadcasting authority.” He vowed to “strike the Iranian dictator everywhere,” adding that the operation followed “a widespread evacuation of the area’s residents.”
During the attack, voices on set were heard saying “Allahu Akbar,” as the screen filled with smoke. The broadcast briefly switched to pre-recorded content before Emami reappeared from another studio, reporting casualties and showing flames at the scene.
Iran’s foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmaeil Baqaei, condemned the strike as a “wicked act of war crime” and called Israel “the world’s leading killer of journalists and media people.”