Satellite Imagery Reveals US-Israeli Strikes Hit Iranian Police Stations Amidst Broader Offensive

US and Israeli forces have reportedly targeted at least 15 police stations in Iran, according to satellite imagery analysis by Bellingcat. These strikes, occurring between March 1 and March 3, are part of a larger offensive that has also hit military infrastructure and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The broader campaign follows months of unrest in Iran, where state security forces violently suppressed protests against inflation and repression, killing thousands.

President Donald Trump previously threatened intervention in January if the Iranian regime continued its crackdown on demonstrators, stating the US was "locked and loaded." While the US has released a list of military targets, including IRGC headquarters, the strikes on police stations suggest an additional strategy. Experts speculate these attacks on state security facilities aim to incite further public defiance against the regime, though it remains unclear whether the US, Israel, or both are responsible for these specific targets.

The identified police stations are predominantly located in dense urban areas of Tehran, with some sites confirmed through social media videos showing significant damage. One such strike near Ferdowsi Square, a major downtown intersection, reportedly hit a "diplomatic police station" and caused casualties, as depicted in Iranian state media and other shared footage. The targeting of these facilities marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, with the Iranian Red Crescent reporting nearly 800 Iranian deaths from the US and Israeli strikes so far.