VIDEO | Massive fire at Tehran’s airport after Israel announces fresh strikes

A massive fire broke out at Mehrabad International Airport in western Tehran after a series of strikes as Israel and the US continue their operation against Iran. This came after the Israeli forces said that they were carrying out an “extensive” wave of strikes against regime targets in the Iranian capital. A burning plane and large plumes of smoke were visible at the busiest airport in the Islamic Republic in videos shared by eyewitnesses on social media.

Shortly before, the Israeli military said that it was launching a “broad-scale new wave of strikes” in the country. It was not clear which parts of the airport were bombed in the fresh wave of attack. Tehran’s airport was also targeted on March 4, with Israel saying that the attack dismantled defence and detection systems that were a threat to the Israeli Air Force.

This comes as the conflict widens in West Asia after the US and Israeli military launched strikes on Iran on February 28, killing Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei and several other top Iranian officials. The operation was named ‘Epic Fury’ by the US and ‘Lion’s Roar’ by Israel. The attacks came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran and ongoing talks over Iran’s nuclear program. In retaliation, Iran launched attacks on Israel and US military bases in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

In a latest warning to Iran, US President Donald Trump on Friday (March 6) said there will be ‘no deal’ with Iran unless it agrees to ‘unconditional surrender’, hardening his stance as tensions escalate. In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote, “There will be no deal with Iran except UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! After that, and the selection of a GREAT & ACCEPTABLE Leader(s), we, and many of our wonderful and very brave allies and partners, will work tirelessly to bring Iran back from the brink of destruction, making it economically bigger, better, and stronger than ever before.”

Khamenei’s death was confirmed on March 1, with Iran vowing strong revenge over the killing of its supreme leader and warning that US bases in the region would be treated as American territory. Gulf states have cautioned against further escalation, even as Washington and Tel Aviv signal that operations could continue for weeks.

As the conflict escalates, Iran-aligned groups have joined the fight. International leaders have called for de-escalation as some condemned the US-led action, while most NATO allies voiced support for Washington.

Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, the US, Gulf nations and non-state actors like Hezbollah, Hamas, Houthis, Islamic State, and others. Claims and counterclaims, disinformation and misinformation are being made online and offline. Given this context, WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos and videos.