Tehran hit by heavy bombing on day seven of US-Israel war on Iran

Intense air attacks have pounded Tehran and other Iranian cities on the seventh day of the US-Israeli war on the country, amid warnings from United States Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that the bombardment was “about to surge dramatically”.

Israel’s military said Friday morning it had begun a new “broad-scale wave of strikes” on Tehran, while the US said its B-2 bombers had dropped dozens of “penetrator” bombs on deeply buried ballistic missile launchers inside the country.

Huge explosions hit several locations in the Iranian capital, Tehran, overnight, including residential areas and the vicinity of Tehran University, according to news reports and an Al Jazeera team on the ground.

An Iranian military academy was also struck, while a journalist from Iran’s state broadcaster was reporting live near the site.

Reporting from Tehran, Al Jazeera’s Tohid Asadi said the bombardment in the capital had been more intense than previously seen, with many attacks in the east and southeast of Tehran.

“From the very early hours of today and into the morning, we have been witnessing a continued wave of massive strikes,” he said, adding the shockwaves of the blast could be felt in the bureau of Al Jazeera.

“I can say that compared to previous days, we saw heavier bombardment overnight, at least in the capital,” he said, reporting enormous explosions and fighter jets in the skies, and a huge column of thick smoke rising from an air attack.

He said the targets reportedly included military locations but also civilian sites, including residential buildings, parking lots and gas stations.