Tehran IVF clinic devastated by US-Israeli attack as hospitals and homes hit
Tehran IVF clinic devastated by US-Israeli attack as hospitals and homes hit
Mohsen and Firouzeh spent over a decade attempting to conceive, eventually seeking treatment at a fertility clinic linked to Tehran’s Ghandi hospital. “The hospital staff worked tirelessly to support us,” Mohsen shared. “After years of struggle, we finally had a chance at a child.”
“We don’t know what’s happened to our samples. We don’t know if all this effort is lost,” Firouzeh said, her voice trembling.
On Sunday, the second day of a brutal U.S.-Israel strike campaign against Iran, the clinic suffered severe damage. Mohammad Hassan Bani Asad, director of Gandhi hospital, reported that one worker sustained critical injuries, including brain bleeding, requiring emergency surgery.
Despite the attacks’ stated focus on Iran’s leadership and military facilities, the toll on civilians has been stark. Across the country, more than 150 cities have been targeted, with the Red Crescent Society confirming at least 787 deaths. Homes, medical centers, and even a primary school were hit, killing around 150 girls aged seven to twelve.
Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, also faced damage. Negin, from the Shariati neighborhood, recounted seeing an air strike destroy an Army hospital nearby. “I witnessed horrors I’d never imagined,” she told Middle East Eye. “Dozens were killed, and many homes on the same street were reduced to rubble.”
Mohammadali, a 32-year-old employee at an advertising firm on Motahari Street, described the destruction of his workplace. “Our office was obliterated in the blast,” he said. “A young colleague is now in critical condition. Israel claims it only targets military sites, but this attack destroyed everything.”
Medical infrastructure under fire
Iran’s Medical Council head, Mohammad Raiszadeh, noted that at least ten clinics have been struck. “These attacks mirror Israel’s relentless assaults on hospitals during its Gaza campaign,” he remarked in an interview. “The WHO and other organizations have shown little action.”
“They showed during the Gaza tragedy that they cannot stop attacks on hospitals and medical centers,” Raiszadeh added.
Staff at Gandhi hospital contradicted the Israeli military’s claim of “minor and collateral damage.” Salmaz, a nurse present during the strike, described the chaos. “The blast threw me into my office, and the building caught fire. Everyone was screaming, trying to flee,” she recalled. “In those terrible moments, we were just trying to save the babies.”
“I’ve never seen anything like this in my life. It was as if the world had stopped,” Salmaz said.
The attack left her in shock. “That terrible sound will not leave my ears,” she added. As the strikes continue, residential buildings and offices across Tehran face destruction, deepening the impact on everyday life.
