Tehran
Iranian capital city targeted by Israeli strikes on central areas near police headquarters and state television facilities on 1 March 2026.
Last refreshed: 29 March 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
Nine million people, no sirens, no shelters: what does a capital look like under sustained bombardment?
Latest on Tehran
- What is Tehran?
- Tehran is the capital and largest city of Iran, home to roughly nine million people. It houses the Supreme Leader's compound, IRGC headquarters, the Assembly of Experts and key government ministries.
- Is Tehran being bombed in 2026?
- Yes. Israeli and US forces have conducted sustained air strikes on Tehran since 28 February 2026, targeting military installations, fuel depots, refineries and the airport. HRANA reported at least 1,407 civilian deaths including 214 children.Source: HRANA
- Does Tehran have bomb shelters?
- No. Tehran has no public bomb shelter system and no air raid sirens. An AP dispatch from inside the city confirmed residents had no warning mechanism and no designated SAFE locations during strikes.Source: AP
- How many civilians have died in Tehran?
- HRANA, an Iranian human rights monitor, counted at least 1,407 civilian deaths in Tehran including 214 children, calling this an 'absolute minimum'. The Iranian Red Crescent separately reported 81,000 building units damaged.Source: HRANA
- Is Tehran airport still open?
- Mehrabad International Airport, Tehran's main domestic airport, had its last functioning fuel tanker destroyed by an Israeli strike in March 2026. Commercial flights were suspended.
Background
Tehran is Iran's capital and largest city, home to roughly nine million people. It houses the Supreme Leader's compound, IRGC headquarters, the Assembly of Experts, Evin Prison and state broadcaster IRIB. The city has no public bomb shelters, no air raid siren system and, since the conflict began, no reliable internet .
Israel struck central Tehran on the opening night of Operation Roaring Lion , killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei in his compound . Strikes have since hit the IRGC Aerospace headquarters, 30 fuel depots, Mehrabad airport and the Shahran oil refinery , while HRANA counted 1,407 civilian dead including 214 children.
The conflict exposed a capital with no civil defence infrastructure under sustained modern bombardment. Residents were advised to evacuate with nowhere to go ; black smoke from struck fuel depots fell as rain across the city . Mojtaba Khamenei's installation as Supreme Leader on 8 March made Tehran the seat of the Islamic Republic's first dynastic succession.
