Israeli army warns Tehran residents to evacuate ahead of planned strikes

The Israeli army on Friday issued direct warnings to civilians in the Iranian capital, urging residents of specific districts to evacuate ahead of planned military strikes on Iranian infrastructure. In a post on the social media platform X, Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee published "urgent alerts" targeting residents of the Lia Industrial Area in Qazvin and certain districts of Tehran, including the Moniriyeh District, instructing them to leave "immediately."

Unprecedented warnings signal escalation

The rare public warnings to civilian populations in an adversary's capital mark a significant escalation in the two-week-old conflict between Israel and Iran. The alerts suggest Israel is preparing to strike military infrastructure located in or near populated areas and is taking the unusual step of attempting to minimize civilian casualties, while simultaneously signaling the scope and seriousness of the coming attack.

Conflict enters third week

The warnings come as the US-Israeli joint attack on Iran, launched Feb. 28, continues to intensify. Iranian authorities report that approximately 1,300 people have been killed and over 10,000 injured in the strikes, which have targeted military installations, leadership positions, and infrastructure across the country. Tehran has responded with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, expanding the conflict's geographic scope and raising fears of broader regional war.