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The Israeli army said Monday that it had struck Imam Hossein University in Tehran, a university run by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC), claiming the institution was used for advanced weapons research.
“In recent days, one of the IRGC's central military infrastructure sites was recently struck, located within the compound of Imam Hossein University, the IRGC's primary military academic institution, which also serves as an emergency asset for the regime's military bodies,” an Israeli army statement said.
Details about the extent of the damage or casualties were not immediately available.
This is not the first time Israel has said it struck Imam Hossein University. Earlier in March, the Israeli army announced it had targeted the university in Tehran, identifying it as one of the struck sites and claiming it served as a gathering point for the IRGC during clashes and “contained numerous military assets,” making it a legitimate military target.
Meanwhile, the American University of Beirut said Sunday it would operate remotely for the next two days following threats by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards to target U.S. universities in the region.
“Like many of you, we learned early this morning of threats issued against American universities in the region,” AUB President Fadlo Khouri said in a statement.
“At this time, we have no evidence of direct threats against our university, its campuses or medical centers. At the same time, out of an abundance of caution, we will operate fully online on Monday and Tuesday, with the exception of essential personnel.”
Classes and exams will be carried out remotely, Khouri added.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard on Sunday threatened to target U.S. universities in the Middle East after saying U.S.-Israeli strikes had destroyed two Iranian universities.
“If the US government wants its universities in the region to be free from retaliation... it must condemn the bombing of the universities in an official statement by 12 noon on Monday, March 30, Tehran time,” the statement published by Iranian media said.
“We advise all employees, professors, and students of American universities in the region and residents of their surrounding areas” to stay a kilometre away from campuses, the statement added.
Several U.S. universities have campuses across the Middle East, including Texas A&M University in Qatar and New York University in the United Arab Emirates.
In Lebanon, the American University of Beirut is one of the most prominent U.S. institutions in the region, with its campus and hospital located in central Beirut.
In Jordan, the American University of Madaba, about 35 kilometers (22 miles) southwest of the capital Amman, also said it was holding online classes until Thursday for its 3,000 students.
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war on March 2 after Tehran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader.
The Middle East region has remained on alert since the United States and Israel launched an air offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has since retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel as well as Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets.
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