‘2,500 years of history cannot be erased by 47 years of darkness,’ Israeli military says
Israel’s military spokesperson said on Wednesday that Israel’s strikes on Iran are directed at the country’s authorities rather than its people, urging civilians to stay away from military facilities.
In a video message addressed to Iranians, the spokesperson said Israel respected Iran’s long history and that recent tensions were tied to the policies of the Islamic Republic. “You cannot erase 2,500 years of magnificent history with 47 years of darkness,” he said.
He added that Israel was determined to continue its attacks until what he described as the threat posed by Iran’s authorities is removed.
The spokesperson also called on Iranian citizens to distance themselves from military installations for their safety as strikes continue.
A ballistic missile fired from Iran and passing through Iraqi and Syrian airspace was intercepted by NATO air and missile defense units deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced on Wednesday.
The missile, which was heading toward Turkish airspace, was rendered ineffective before it could cause any damage. A piece of the missile fell in the Dörtyol district of Hatay, and it was determined to belong to the intercepted missile. No casualties or injuries were reported.
The ministry reaffirmed Turkey’s commitment to ensuring national security and its right to respond decisively to any threats, warning all parties against actions that could escalate the conflict in the region.
Food distribution and access to basic supplies have been disrupted in parts of Tehran’s Evin prison following US and Israeli airstrikes, with some detainees reporting they are surviving on limited bread and water, according to families who spoke to Iran International.
Relatives said prison wards have been locked down and some staff have left their posts as explosions from strikes in Tehran continue to be heard around the clock.
Families said food distribution and cooking supplies in the women’s ward and Ward 7 had been halted, leaving inmates with only small quantities of bread. The prison store has also been closed since the attacks began, preventing detainees from purchasing additional food.
Some prisoners who managed to contact relatives said they had access only to “dry bread and water,” raising concerns about how long supplies could last.
In a letter from Evin prison, jailed human rights activist Reza Khandan wrote that thousands of detainees were being held while facing the risk of ongoing bombardment and that many services inside prisons had been disrupted. He warned that continued conflict could lead to shortages of food rations and hygiene supplies.
Khandan said responsibility for the safety of prisoners lies with Iran’s judiciary and the prison organization.
A campaign supporting political prisoner Varisheh Moradi also called for the immediate release of detainees, particularly political prisoners, saying their safety could not be guaranteed under wartime conditions.
Separately, the United Nations has raised concerns about the situation inside Iran following the escalation of the conflict.
A spokesperson for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said at least 787 people had been killed in Iran in the strikes, and expressed concern about civilian casualties, domestic repression, internet disruptions and the situation of political prisoners.
The UN also urged Iranian authorities to guarantee fundamental freedoms in line with international human rights law and called for the restoration of internet access, warning that communication outages could limit people’s access to vital safety information during wartime.
Evin prison in northern Tehran, known for holding political prisoners and activists, was hit during airstrikes on June 23 in last year’s 12-day war, damaging parts of the complex and raising concern about detainee safety.
Iran’s judiciary said at the time 71 people were killed, including guards, staff, inmates, visiting relatives, and nearby residents.
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) said that based on the latest satellite imagery, there has been no damage to facilities containing nuclear material in Iran, and no radiological release risk has been detected.
Damage was observed at two buildings near the Isfahan nuclear site, but no additional impact was found at Natanz after previously reported damage to its entrances. No effects were noted at other nuclear sites, including the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant.
IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi reiterated the call for maximum restraint to avoid any potential radiological incident, stressing the importance of maintaining regional nuclear safety and security during the ongoing conflict.
The United States carried out a strike that sank an Iranian warship off Sri Lanka’s coast in an incident that has triggered a search and rescue operation in the Indian Ocean, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth confirmed on Wednesday.
Hegseth said a torpedo fired from a US submarine sank the vessel.
At least 80 were people killed in the strike, Sri Lanka's deputy foreign minister told local television on Wednesday.
Sri Lanka’s foreign minister, Vijitha Herath, told parliament the vessel had been identified as the Iranian warship IRIS Dena.
Sri Lankan authorities said they had rescued 32 people from the ship and recovered several bodies from the sea.
Sources in Sri Lanka’s navy and defense ministry said the warship had been attacked by a submarine and that at least 101 people were missing after the incident off the island’s southern coast.
Sri Lanka’s navy said it received a distress call from the Iranian vessel and launched a joint search and rescue operation with the air force. The 180-crew frigate issued a distress call at dawn.
Authorities said the immediate priority was rescuing survivors, with the cause of the incident to be investigated later.
Sri Lankan forces said they had not observed any other ships or aircraft in the area at the time of the incident.
“We are hopeful we can rescue more people and will continue operations until we are sure,” the navy spokesperson said.
Iranian exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi urged Iranians living abroad on Wednesday to intensify political advocacy and public campaigning, saying their recent mobilization had helped shift international opinion toward supporting Iranians.
In a message posted on social media, Pahlavi asked supporters to contact lawmakers and decision-makers in their countries of residence and push them to maintain support.
"In the challenging days and weeks ahead, your role in maintaining this support is crucial until the disgraceful rule of the Islamic Republic comes to an end," he said in a video message to the Iranian diaspora.
He also urged them to emphasize Iran’s territorial integrity, insist that Iranians should determine the country’s future political system, and press for maximum precautions to prevent harm to civilians.
He called on the diaspora to engage with media and civil society groups to convey the Iranian people’s demands, and to take part in demonstrations in the coming days and weeks.
“A heavy burden of destiny rests on all our shoulders. And together, we will walk this path until the final victory,” Pahlavi concluded.
