Iranian media reported unusual Israeli attacks overnight Wednesday, with suicide drones striking and killing dozens of Basij officers at security checkpoints across Tehran

Fearing civil unrest, the IRGC-run Basij paramilitary forces, responsible for suppressing unrest on Iranian streets, set up checkpoints on major streets. While manning the checkpoints to prevent a civil uprising, they met their deaths instead.

Iran’s Fars News Agency, which is affiliated with the regime in Tehran, reported explosions at multiple points in Tehran and deaths of Basij and security forces.

The Iranian news agency claimed that “this operation is a joint effort by the Mossad and monarchist elements to infiltrate terrorists and sabotage the country. The operation will fail.”

According to Iranian opposition reports, at least 20 Basij members were killed in a drone strike near Amir Kabir University in Tehran. The street had to be closed for several hours in order to clear debris from the strike.

Also overnight Wednesday, Iran attacked two oil tankers near Iraq, killing at least one crew member. Other crew members are still missing.

Meanwhile, pro-Iranian militant operatives were also targeted on Wednesday in Iraq. Reports said that 30 people were killed and 50 wounded in airstrikes against positions belonging to al-Hashd al-Shaabi, the umbrella organization of pro-Iranian militias in Iraq. The strikes took place in al-Qaim in Anbar Province in western Iraq.

Sources told Al-Arabiya that the headquarters of the 19th Brigade of the mobilization forces, located about 400 kilometers northwest of Baghdad, was completely destroyed.

(YWN Israel Desk—Jerusalem)