Why Iran targeted the Kirya, 'Israel’s Pentagon', in Tel Aviv

On Friday, Israel launched a large-scale air assault deep into Iranian territory, striking nuclear sites and reportedly killing 78 people, including senior military officials, among them Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps commander Hossein Salami and Armed Forces chief Mohammad Baqeri, as well as civilians.

At least 320 people were reported wounded.

Israel claimed the strikes were "pre-emptive", but Iran called them an unprovoked act of war.

In response, Iran launched Operation True Promise III, firing ballistic missiles and drones at Israeli territory, killing 3 people and injuring around 40 people. It marked the most direct and destructive confrontation between the two states in decades.

Among the targets was the Kirya - Israel’s central military headquarters in Tel Aviv. The New Arab looks at what exactly the Kirya complex is, why Iran struck and what it means for the wider conflict between Tehran and Tel Aviv.

'Israel’s Pentagon' in the heart of Tel Aviv

The Kirya is Israel’s central military headquarters - often described as the country's equivalent of the Pentagon.

Located in the heart of Tel Aviv, it contains the Ministry of Defence, the offices of the Israeli military General Staff, Camp Rabin and key intelligence and command facilities. Established in 1948, the Kirya has long served as the nerve centre of Israeli military operations and a symbol of national security

At least one Iranian missile reportedly struck near the Marganit Tower, a major communications hub for the Israeli military. inside the compound.

While Israeli officials have not confirmed the full extent of the damage, footage from Tel Aviv showed smoke rising from the area. Fox News correspondent Trey Yingst, reporting live during the attack, stated: "This is Israel's version of the Pentagon... the building on this compound was just hit."

No casualties were confirmed within the Kirya, but nearby civilian areas sustained damage and at least five people were injured by shrapnel.

Why Iran struck - and what it means

Iran’s decision to target the Kirya was both strategic and symbolic. The attack came hours after what Tehran viewed as a blatant and illegal act of aggression by Israel. Iranian officials cited the right to self-defence under international law and warned that further escalation would bring a broader response.

Striking the Kirya allowed Iran to project power and demonstrate that it can hit the most sensitive military sites in Israel. It was a message to both domestic and regional audiences that Tehran would not absorb Israeli attacks without consequence.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned that Israel had “initiated open war.” Iranian media outlets described the operation as proof that “Zionist deterrence has collapsed.”

A war of Israel’s making

The Israeli government now faces growing scrutiny - not just for the security breach, but for the decision to initiate the escalation. The 13 June airstrikes were not carried out in response to an immediate threat, but rather as a deliberate attempt to degrade Iran’s military and nuclear capabilities. 

In doing so, Israel circumvented diplomacy, breached Iranian sovereignty, and provoked a significant retaliatory response.

While Israeli officials have vowed further reprisals, international actors, including Israel's major backer the US and its allies in the EU, are urging restraint.

Behind closed doors, some Israeli analysts are asking whether the gamble was worth it. The damage done to Iran's nuclear facilities seems to be limited, while Iran's response has taken some Israelis aback. 

The Kirya strike has shaken public confidence and exposed the limits of Israel's much-vaunted military shield, with Iran using it as a political statement to show Israel that it is capable of hitting its most secure and vital infrastructure.