Iranian media reported on Friday morning that an Israeli drone struck a residential building in Tehran's Gisha neighborhood. Iran International noted the attack targeted a base of the internal security agency Basij as Israel continued Operation Rising Lion to eliminate Iran's nuclear and missile threat.
According to the Wall Street Journal, the scientist was assassinated with a drone, quoting an Israeli official. The paper further reported that the official noted that "the scientist, who specialized in weaponry, was being kept in a hiding spot outside of his home."
Israel has already killed at least 10 nuclear scientists during the opening 24 hours of the operation against Iran, along with the decapitation of its senior military leadership.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian declared on Friday morning that Iran has always sought peace but stressed that ending the war requires fully stopping Israel's "aggression." He emphasized that Iran must ensure the "adventures of Zionist terrorists" are permanently stopped.
"Overnight, more than 50 Israeli Air Force jets operated above Tehran, striking dozens of targets tied to Iran's threat," the IDF spokesperson said. Targets included nuclear sites, missile component factories, and missile engine plants, notably the Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND) complex – a critical part of Iran's nuclear program.
A vital nuclear component facility was also damaged. Iran was preparing a major missile barrage toward Beersheba, but three launchers were detected and destroyed before launch. The IDF continues operations across seven fronts: Gaza, Iran, Judea and Samaria, and the northern border, working to eliminate threats and secure Israel.
