Islamic Republic deploys armed supporters in street rallies

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said on Friday that the Strait of Hormuz remains closed and warned vessels linked to allies of the United States and Israel against transit.

The Guards said three container ships attempted to enter designated shipping corridors but were forced to withdraw after warnings, adding that any passage through the strait would face “harsh measures.”

It also said any vessel “from or to” ports of countries allied with Washington or Israel would be banned from transit.

The UN human rights chief called on the United States to conclude its investigation into a deadly strike on a school in Iran and make the findings public.

“There must be justice for the terrible harm done,” Volker Turk said, describing the bombing as causing “visceral horror.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards on Friday warned civilians in the region to stay away from areas where US forces are stationed.

“We recommend that you urgently leave areas where American forces are present so that you are not harmed,” the Guards said in a statement.

The statement accused US forces of using civilian locations and said Iran would target them wherever they are found.

Israel bombed what it described as Iran’s most central facility for producing naval missiles and mines, the Israeli military said on Friday.

The military said the site in Yazd was used to plan, develop, assemble and store advanced missiles designed for launch from ships, submarines and helicopters toward maritime targets.

“This is a site where most of the missiles and naval mines are developed by the Iranian navy forces,” the military said.

The strike was carried out using intelligence from the Military Intelligence Directorate and Naval Intelligence Division, and dealt a significant blow to the naval forces’ production capabilities, according to the military.

Overnight, Israeli aircraft also struck ballistic missile production sites and air defense systems across Iran, the military said.

In Tehran, the strikes targeted infrastructure used for weapons production, with an emphasis on ballistic missile facilities, while in western parts of the country missile launchers and storage sites were hit, according to the military, which said the targets posed a threat to Israel.

The military said further details on the overnight strikes would be released later.

The attacks come a day after Israel killed the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps Navy and other senior officers.

Air strikes struck multiple areas of Tehran and Isfahan, with explosions reported across several districts and nearby towns early Friday, according to accounts circulating on social media and initial reports.

The Israeli military also announced a new wave of attacks targeting the Islamic Republic, after which explosions were heard across central, western, eastern and northern parts of the capital.

Reports also described blasts in surrounding areas including Robat Karim, Rey, Varamin and Shahriar.

In Isfahan, accounts pointed to sustained strikes hitting different parts of the city over an extended period. Explosions were also reported in Kashan and Shahin Shahr.

The scale and intensity of the strikes were described by users online as unprecedented, underscoring a widening scope of the confrontation.