Iran says video of Tehran strike proves Israeli 'war crime'

Iranian state television has released dramatic CCTV footage allegedly capturing the moment two Israeli missile strikes hit Tehran's crowded Tajrish Square during the 12-day war between Iran and Israel last month.

The footage, aired on Thursday by the IRIB news agency, showed two strikes occurring in quick succession during the late afternoon rush hour on 15 June.

One of the missiles struck a building linked to the Basij paramilitary force, a unit affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

The second strike, which drew widespread attention online, hit the middle of a major intersection. The video showed a large fireball erupting on impact, hurling several cars into the air and sending clouds of debris soaring over the square.

"Vivid footage of a war crime," read the IRIB’s caption of the video.

Iranian media say at least 18 civilians were killed in the attack on Tajrish Square.

The footage has been widely circulated on social media, sparking debate over its authenticity, with some suggesting portions may have been manipulated using AI tools. Others, however, matched the footage with known video from the aftermath, suggesting it aligns with earlier eyewitness reports.

While Israeli forces have claimed throughout the war that their operations were limited to "precise strikes" against Iranian military targets, the scenes in Tajrish Square, one of Tehran's busiest civilian areas, suggest otherwise.

No military installation is visible in the footage, and the strike appears to hit a crowded public space.

Israeli officials have claimed that their targeting during the 12-day conflict were focused on missile facilities, air defence sites, and strategic infrastructure. Despite these claims, Iranian officials say the civilian toll tells a different story.

According to the Iranian government, 935 people were killed during the war, including at least 38 children and 132 women. Authorities have not provided a full breakdown of civilian versus military deaths.

IRIB used the release of the footage to accuse Western governments of complicity in Israeli actions.

"This video is yet another piece of evidence of a crime, for which Trump provides the cover fire, while Germany, France, and the UK pull the trigger," the network's description stated. "And our beloved Iran remains proud and resilient after the 12-day war against such criminals."

At the time of publication, Israeli forces had not responded to the footage or the allegations surrounding the strike in Tajrish Square.