Gladness Gideon
Iran has confirmed that at least 12 journalists and media workers were killed in Israeli airstrikes during the recent 12-day conflict between the two countries, according to state media reports published on Thursday.
The Iranian state-run IRNA news agency, quoting the media division of the Basij paramilitary forces — an arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) — said two additional media personnel were identified among the dead, raising the confirmed toll to a dozen.
The Basij accused Israel of “deliberately targeting media facilities” as part of an alleged effort to suppress coverage from what it called the “Resistance Front,” referring to Iran and its network of regional allies opposed to Israeli policies.
“These strikes were not accidental. They were aimed at silencing the voice of truth and disrupting the operations of independent media,” the Basij media outlet claimed.
The announcement comes as the human cost of the conflict continues to rise, despite the war’s official end. The hostilities, which erupted on June 13 following a surprise Israeli military assault, marked one of the most intense confrontations between the two nations in recent memory.
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Israeli air raids during the campaign reportedly targeted Iranian military installations, nuclear infrastructure, and civilian neighborhoods. Among the sites struck was the Iranian state broadcasting facility in northern Tehran.
Iranian authorities said the air campaign killed several senior military commanders, nuclear scientists, and hundreds of civilians. The overall death toll in Iran stands at 1,060, according to figures released by government officials.
In response to the Israeli attacks, Iran launched a series of missile and drone strikes on Israeli territory, resulting in at least 28 fatalities, according to Israeli government sources.
The latest figures highlighting the toll on media personnel have drawn condemnation from press freedom advocates and further underscore the far-reaching consequences of the brief but deadly conflict.