ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - The bombardment of missile bases, air defense systems, as well as security and military headquarters in Iran by the United States and Israel is ongoing. Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that late Tuesday it carried out its largest and most extensive missile attack, targeting 100 locations in Israel in its 61st aerial operation.
On Tuesday, on the 18th day of the war, US and Israeli forces targeted dozens of locations across different parts of Iran and Kurdish areas in the west (Rojhelat) using aircraft, missiles, and drones.
Rojhelat
Early Tuesday morning, three locations in the Jaafarabad neighborhood and around Lashkar Square in central Kermanshah were bombed by aircraft.
According to residents of Kermanshah, between 4:30 and 5:00 am local time, at least three loud explosions were heard in the city, and two military bases belonging to the army and the IRGC were among the targeted sites.
Reports also say that at 2:30 am on Tuesday, a base of the IRGC in Divandarreh, in Sanandaj province, was attacked.
According to organizational sources, the site targeted in Divandarreh was an IRGC base in the Nesareh area, which had become a main gathering point for IRGC forces after recent attacks on their bases in the city. The Hana organization also reported that several IRGC members were killed or wounded in the strike.
Compared to the early days of the war, bombardment of Iranian military bases in Eastern Kurdistan has decreased, but in other regions—especially in the capital Tehran—it continues intensively.
Heavy bombardment in Tehran
From early morning until noon on Tuesday, dozens of locations in central, eastern, southern, western, and northern Tehran were bombed.
Most targets were in neighborhoods including Tehranpars, Narmak, Qolhak, Yousefabad, Seyed Khandan, Nobonyad, Tajrish, Gisha, Sabalan, Saadat Abad, Pasdaran, Sattarkhan, Masoudieh, Farmanieh, Kamranieh, Hakimiyeh, and Andarzgoo.
One of the targeted locations was facilities belonging to the Ministry of Intelligence in Tehran. Basij bases in several neighborhoods were also attacked, with one of the most heavily targeted being the main Basij base in northern Tehran (Kamranieh).
On Tuesday, the Israeli military announced that Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the IRGC’s Basij organization, had been killed. Hours later, the IRGC confirmed his death.
The Basij is considered one of the five main branches of the IRGC, primarily responsible for organizing civilians and IRGC members. Since the start of the war, security control of Tehran and several other cities has been handed over to the Basij.
In addition to Soleimani, several other Basij officials were reportedly killed. The Fars News Agency, which is close to the IRGC, confirmed the deaths of several other officials Tuesday night but did not name them.
Earlier that day, a checkpoint and a police vehicle were targeted on Pirouzi Street in eastern Tehran.
In Baqershahr and around Kahrizak, south of Tehran, military bases were bombed again early Tuesday. In Pardis, east of Tehran, a target was struck four times by missiles.
The Israeli military stated that dozens of locations in Tehran were targeted, including command centers of military and security forces such as the Ministry of Intelligence and the Basij.
Other provinces of Iran
On Tuesday, attacks on military and security targets in Alborz province continued as in previous days. Several locations in Karaj and Hashtgerd were bombed.
In Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, several strong explosions were heard early Tuesday, though details about the targets have not yet been released.
Around 5:00 am, three locations near Tabriz were also bombed. The Israeli military stated it had heavily targeted Iran’s air defense systems near Tabriz to expand its air superiority and “pave the way for eliminating sources of threats against Israel.”
It also said that in Shiraz, a police command center in Fars province was bombed, along with a missile production and storage site near the city.
Overlap of bombardment and Chaharshanbe Suri
While US and Israeli attacks on Iran’s security and military facilities and officials continue, on Tuesday some people in Iran and Rojhelat held the Chaharshanbe Suri celebrations.
Videos shared online show that the ceremony took place in most cities at night.
Jafar Miadfar, head of Iran’s Emergency Medical Services, announced Tuesday night that 427 people were injured during this year’s Chaharshanbe Suri. Among them, 20 suffered amputations and 91 sustained eye injuries. He said the highest number of casualties occurred in West Azerbaijan, Ardabil, and Kermanshah provinces.
Chaharshanbe Suri is a traditional festival marking the arrival of the Kurdish and solar new year. On the last Tuesday night before Nowruz, people light fires and jump over them. Some also set off fireworks. Every year, accidents involving fireworks—especially homemade ones—cause deaths and injuries.
Meanwhile, the IRGC stated that last night it launched its largest attack yet on Israel—its 61st operation—using Khorramshahr-4 missiles. It claimed that 100 locations in Israel were targeted and 230 Israelis were killed, although Israel has so far confirmed only two deaths.