Tehran, June 19 (EFE).- The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) announced a new attack against Tehran and other parts of Iranian territory early Thursday morning, while issuing evacuation orders online for regions in the west of the country, which is under an internet shutdown.
«The IAF (Israeli Air Force) is currently conducting a series of strikes in Tehran and additional areas in Iran,» the IDF warned at 01:07 GMT, in a message that has been repeated around this time for several nights.
At the same time, media outlets such as the Qatari network Al Jazeera and the Iranian state-run Press TV reported explosions in Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj.
A few minutes later, the Israeli army Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee published an evacuation order for the areas around Arak and Khandab, two locations about 300 kilometers southwest of Tehran.
«Dear citizens, for the sake of your safety and health, we ask you to leave the designated area on the map within the cities of Arak and Khandab as soon as possible. Your presence in this area endangers your lives,» Adraee wrote.
Israel’s attack on the area is part of its objective of destroying «military infrastructure.»
However, internet watchdog Netblocks said Iran is experiencing a total internet blackout.
“Metrics show Iran has now been offline for over 12 hours as authorities impose a nation-scale internet shutdown, citing Israel’s alleged ‘misuse’ of the network for military purposes; the measure continues to hinder residents’ access to information at a critical time,” it said.
This is the seventh consecutive day that Israel has bombed Iran since launching a massive military offensive against the Persian nation early Friday morning, claiming it is to prevent it from advancing its nuclear program.
The attacks, which have decimated Iran’s military and nuclear infrastructure, have also killed 224 people, according to official Iran government figures, although the total number may be higher.
Iran’s military response, which has also continued unabated in recent days, has claimed the lives of 24 people. EFE
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