Israel Admits Striking Synagogue in Tehran, Calls It ‘Collateral Damage’

Israel’s military admitted on Tuesday to “collateral damage” taken by a synagogue in Tehran after Iran accused the country of destroying the place of worship.

Iranian media reported on Tuesday that heavy damage was inflicted on a Tehran synagogue in an overnight airstrike targeting an Iranian military leader.

“Reports were received that a nearby synagogue was also damaged in the strike. The IDF regrets the collateral damage to the synagogue and emphasizes that the strike was directed at a senior military target within the regime’s armed forces,” the IDF said in a statement about the strike.

The strike is still reportedly under review and the IDF said it took measures to avoid civilian casualties.

Video verified by the News Corp-owned Storyful showed a Jewish leader walking amongst the rubble of the synagogue.

Iranian media claimed the synagogue was targeted deliberately, something an Israeli official denied in a statement to the Times of Israel.

“Israel doesn’t target synagogues. Anyone claiming otherwise thinks you’re gullible,” the official said.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office also responded to the strike and “collateral damage.”

“Iran is firing missiles at civilians, Israel is striking terror infrastructure. Missiles on civilians versus precision strikes on terror targets. That’s the difference,” they said.

Homayoun Sameh, a Jewish representative in the Iranian Parliament, blasted Israel over the strike.

“Unfortunately, during the Jewish holidays, the Israeli entity targeted us and did not even spare Jews in Iran, as it struck one of our old and sacred synagogues,” he said.

News of the strike dropped as President Donald Trump has threatened to annihilate Iran if they do not meet U.S. demands by 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

“A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again,” he wrote on Truth Social on Tuesday morning. “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”

In a later message posted to Truth Social, Trump said he had agreed to a two-week extension proposal from Pakistan.

“I agree to suspend the bombing and attack of Iran for a period of two weeks,” he wrote. “This will be a double sided CEASEFIRE! The reason for doing so is that we have already met and exceeded all Military objectives, and are very far along with a definitive Agreement concerning Longterm PEACE with Iran, and PEACE in the Middle East.”

Watch above via CNN.

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