A series of heavy explosions were reported across Tehran and nearby Karaj, with citizen reports indicating strikes on a Basij base in West Tehran and areas near Mehrabad Airport.
A series of heavy explosions struck various parts of Tehran and neighboring Karaj over Tuesday and Wednesday, according to crowdsourced reports. Coverage of the blasts has been heavily documented by Vahid Online, a prominent independent and exile-run channel that compiles citizen journalism and user-generated content, often providing narratives counter to Iranian state media.
According to citizen reports shared by Vahid Online, a major strike occurred in West Tehran on Tuesday. Initial images shared by the channel at 14:25 captured smoke rising near the Azadi Tower, with early speculation identifying the target as the Municipality Informatics Building. However, subsequent user-submitted photos clarified the location of the attack at the Saeedi Highway and Dastgheib intersection. The channel noted that while the Urban Smart Technologies Center remained partially intact, a neighboring building was "heavily destroyed" and was "likely the target." Vahid Online reported that user messages identified the destroyed building as a Basij base, providing the exact coordinates 35.6871, 51.34171.
The explosions caused visible panic and large plumes of smoke throughout the capital. Vahid Online reported that earlier on Tuesday, at 4:12, residents in the Ekbatan neighborhood heard "three very loud explosion sounds" and witnessed a pillar of smoke rising toward Mehrabad. The chaotic situation escalated into Wednesday morning, with the channel sharing a video showing smoke over Mehrabad Airport at 3:53. Concurrently, residents in Karaj, particularly the Fardis area, sent messages reporting "about 10 heavy explosions" between 3:47 and 3:50.
Other networks also tracked the disturbances. The breaking news and conflict-focused channel اخبارفوری خبرفوری جنگ امریکا فوری corroborated the ongoing unrest. On Tuesday night, the channel urgently reported the "sound of explosion heard right now in some parts of Tehran" at approximately 22:37.
The timeline of events across the messages is slightly fragmented, referencing multiple distinct times (4:12, 14:25, 22:37, and 3:53 the following day) which reflects the chaotic, real-time nature of citizen reporting during active security incidents. The ambiguity between AM and PM in some of the original Persian timestamps has been preserved in context.