Daijiworld Media Network - Tehran

Tehran, Jun 20: In a major escalation on the eighth day of conflict, Israel’s military said it carried out a series of powerful overnight air strikes targeting the heart of Tehran, including a key centre linked to Iran’s nuclear weapons programme.

According to the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF), over 60 fighter jets bombed dozens of military targets, among them missile production facilities and the headquarters of the Organisation of Defensive Innovation and Research (SPND), which Israel claims is central to Iran’s alleged nuclear weapons development.

“The SPND headquarters is used for research and development of advanced technologies and weapons supporting the Iranian regime’s military capabilities,” the Israeli army said in a statement Friday.

Also struck were facilities manufacturing missile components and raw materials for missile engine casting, the IDF added, as tensions between the two regional foes intensified.

Israel launched the initial wave of airstrikes a week ago, accusing Iran of being on the brink of developing a nuclear bomb — a claim Tehran has consistently denied. The ongoing strikes have led to deadly retaliations, escalating fears of a broader regional conflict.

Meanwhile, European foreign ministers are expected to hold emergency talks with Iran’s foreign minister in a bid to defuse the situation through diplomacy.

As the crisis deepens, US President Donald Trump is reportedly weighing possible American involvement, though no official decision has been announced yet.