Tehran Rocked by Massive Israeli Airstrikes as Explosions Target Quds Day Rally and Military Infrastructure

Tehran rocked by Israeli strikes on Quds Day. IDF targets air defenses and military infrastructure as the Iran-Israel war enters its 14th day of intensive combat.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 13, 2026, 6:39 PM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from APA

Strike on Ferdowsi Square During State Rally

The Iranian capital witnessed severe kinetic activity as explosions struck the vicinity of a state-organized Quds Day rally attended by several high-ranking officials. At approximately midday on Friday, a large blast occurred in Ferdowsi Square while crowds were chanting anti-Israel slogans. According to reports from the Associated Press and state broadcaster Press TV, the strike forced security details to encircle the head of Iran’s judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, who was delivering an interview at the time. Despite the proximity of the blast, Ejei remained defiant, raising his fist and vowing that the Islamic Republic would not withdraw under "this rain of missiles."

Hyperlocal Targeting of Air Defenses and Basij Units

The IDF has officially claimed responsibility for the latest wave of attacks, describing them as highly targeted operations against the regime's foundations. Military intelligence guided strikes against central bases of the Iranian air defense array and multiple checkpoints manned by Basij paramilitary forces across the city. The IDF stated that these hyperlocal strikes are intended to degrade the regime's internal security apparatus and neutralize missile launchers. Witnesses in northern and central Tehran reported seeing smoke rising from multiple residential and industrial districts as Iranian air defense systems attempted to intercept incoming munitions.

Casualties and Civilian Impact Amid Internet Blackout

Preliminary reports from the official IRNA news agency indicate that at least one person, identified as a woman, was killed during the "bombing of Tehran." The humanitarian situation in the capital remains opaque due to a near-total internet shutdown implemented by Iranian authorities since the start of the conflict on February 28. Israel had issued warnings via Farsi-language social media accounts shortly before the strikes, but the blackout prevented many residents from receiving the alert. Footage that has managed to surface shows residents chanting slogans from rooftops as the sky filled with the sounds of drones and anti-aircraft fire.