An Iranian state TV live broadcast was abruptly halted after the building was bombed by Israel, sending the presenter scrambling from her desk amid smoke and debris. The disruption occurred during a live transmission from the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting. Iranian state TV has reported that “a number” of its employees were injured in the Israeli strike on its headquarters in Tehran.

A correspondent for the state broadcaster emotionally recounted how they had been “working until the very last moment before the attack”. Peyman Jebeli, the head of the broadcasting service, said state TV and its dedicated staff are “standing until the end”. The sprawling complex where state TV operates resembles a small village, housing thousands of workers.

Prior to the attack, Israel had issued a warning, pinpointing a section of Tehran’s District 3, which included the state TV premises, urging residents to evacuate.

Chilling footage captured the moment a missile struck the building, with the impact sending dust and rubble flying across the set.

As the green screen behind the presenter malfunctioned, plaster and dust covered the studio.

The presenter, caught off guard, turned and fled the scene. Panic ensued as production crew members could be heard shouting in terror, rushing to escape the building.

The Israeli Defence Forces had previously sounded an evacuation alarm for the area in Tehran where the state TV offices are situated.

Israel Katz, the Israeli Defence Minister, said: “The Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappear.”

The Israeli military has maintained that it only targets sites linked to Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes. However, it has now issued several evacuation orders for civilians in Tehran, affecting areas where hundreds of thousands reside.

It remains uncertain how many civilians have managed to evacuate or whether a mass exodus is feasible in such short notice.

Since Friday, Israel’s strikes have killed approximately 250 Iranians, as per the health ministry.