Israel strikes Iran’s Evin prison in move to free detainees

TEHRAN,— Israeli air forces struck Evin prison in northern Tehran on Monday in what Israeli officials described as an intensified phase of their military campaign against Iran’s ruling system.

The strike occurred a day after the United States carried out its first direct attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities.

Evin prison has long been known as Iran’s primary detention center for political prisoners, dissidents, and individuals accused of national security offenses.

Footage aired by state broadcaster IRIB showed emergency crews pulling a wounded man from the rubble, with widespread damage visible around the facility’s outer structures.

The judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported that emergency measures were underway to protect inmates and maintain order inside the compound. No official casualty count has been released.

A video posted by Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar on X showed a large explosion at what appeared to be the main gate of the facility. The gate bore signs identifying it as Evin prison. Saar captioned the video with the phrase, “Viva la libertad!”

Experts have noted that targeting the prison’s gate, rather than its inmate housing, may indicate an intent to facilitate the release of detainees rather than harm them.

Evin prison, Tehran, Iran, October 17, 2022. Photo: WANA/via Reuters

Michael Rubin, a former Pentagon official and regional policy expert, had previously written an article on July 17 advising that Israel should consider striking Evin prison due to its central role in the regime’s internal control and repression.

The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) also reported attacks on command and intelligence centers operated by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in the greater Tehran area.

Defense Minister Israel Katz described the ongoing campaign as “unprecedented in scale and depth,” specifically targeting core regime institutions.

Iranian news outlets presented differing accounts of the damage. Tasnim news agency reported that an electric substation near the prison was hit, leading to power disruptions. State utility Tavanir confirmed limited blackouts in parts of the capital.

Iran’s student news agency ISNA claimed Shahid Beheshti University had been struck during the raids. The university’s communications office denied the report.

The recent escalation follows Israel’s initial offensive on June 13, which targeted nuclear sites, senior Iranian military leadership, and key military infrastructure.

Iranian authorities say over 400 people have been killed in subsequent Israeli strikes. Israel maintains its targets have been military in nature and reports that Iranian missile attacks, mostly on civilian areas, have killed 24 people in Israel and injured several hundred.

On Monday morning, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile launched from Iranian territory. Air raid sirens were activated in Tel Aviv and nearby districts overnight, with no reported damage.

Iran’s capacity for retaliation has weakened in recent weeks, following heavy losses by Hezbollah in Lebanon and the collapse of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s government, once a major Iranian ally in the region.

Despite concerns over potential oil supply disruptions from the Gulf, global oil prices have remained steady.

(With files from Reuters | Agencies)