The IDF struck the gates of the infamous Evin Prison in Tehran on Monday, along with additional targets associated with Iranian oppression, including the headquarters of the Basij internal security paramilitary force.
The Evin Prison was opened in the 1970s by the SAVAK, the Shah's secret police, and since 1979 has been seen as the symbol of revolutionary Iran's oppression against political and diplomatic prisoners. It is known for its brutality and torture methods.
According to human rights groups, among the methods used in the prison are electric shocks, sleep deprivation, refusal of medical treatment, solitary confinement, and the recording of confessions under psychological and physical duress. Wing 209 of the prison is operated directly by the Iranian Intelligence Ministry and is considered the harshest.
In 2022, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch recorded testimonies by women who were held in the prison and were subjected to harassment, long periods of isolation, humiliation and rape. Other reports described executions.
Footage posted to social media and news sites shows the damage to the prison's entrance. Israeli officials explained that the strike was meant to allow political prisoners to flee.
However, international media reported that the maintenance status of the prison did not change significantly after the strike, and the authorities reported that the site was under full control and included footage from the site after the strike showing business as usual inside the prison.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar announced the strike on Monday, stating: "We warned Iran time and again: stop targeting civilians! They continued, including this morning. Our response: Viva la libertad, carajo! (Long live liberty, damn it)."