Destruction of the Rafi'-Nia synagogue
2026 Iran war airstrike
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On 7 April 2026, during the 2026 Iran war, the Rafi'-Nia synagogue in Tehran was completely destroyed during an Israeli Air Force strike on an adjacent building.[1] The incident was condemned by Iranian authorities and the local Jewish community. The Israel Defense Force (IDF) said it "regrets" the destruction of the synagogue. Shargh reported that the site was one of the "most important places" for the Iranian Khorasan Jews community.[2]
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| Destruction of the Rafi'-Nia synagogue | |
|---|---|
| Part of the destruction of cultural heritage sites during the 2026 Iran war | |
Members of the Tehran Jewish community navigating the site where the Rafi'-Nia synagogue was destroyed, as depicted and recorded by Mehr News Agency. | |
| Native name | کنیسه رفیعنیا |
| Location | Rafi-Nia synagogue |
| Date | 7 April 2026 |
| Target | Unnamed Iranian commander in the adjacent Khatam al-Anbiya headquarter (per Israel) |
Attack type | Airstrike, attempted targeted killing |
| Injured | Two people were initially stuck under rubble, but no injuries were reported |
| Perpetrator |  Israeli Air Force |
Background
Activities of the synagogue
The synagogue was built around 1970 as testified by a 2 million Iranian rials donation for the construction of Khorasaniha Synagogue in the same year.[3]
Shargh was reported stating by various outlets that the synagogue was "one of the most important places for Khorasan Jews to gather and celebrate" before its destruction.[4][5][6]
Airstrike
The IDF said it was targetting an Iranian commander, who was located in the adjacent Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters.[7][8] It said the destruction of the synagogue was "collateral damage" caused by the airstrike to the adjacent building.[4][9] Numerous religious texts were buried under the rubble of the collapsing synagogue,[5] alongside two people who were assisted by the Red Crescent through a "high-stakes" rescue operation.[10] There were no immediate reports of casualties following the strike.[11]
Aftermath
Iranian reaction
Iranian government
Homayoun Sameh, a Jewish representative in the country’s Islamic Consultative Assembly, published a post on Telegram stating that "the Zionist regime showed no mercy to this community during the Jewish holidays and targeted one of our ancient and holy synagogues", adding that in this specific incident scrolls of the Torah were lost under the rubble of the destroyed building.[12][13][14]
Iranian Jewish community
Senior members of Tehran’s Jewish community visited the former synagogue and later,[7] the community in Tehran also released a statement of condemnation against the destruction of the synagogue and the wider campaign of airstrikes against Iran.[12]
Israeli statements
The Israeli Defense Forces admitted the airstrike that struck the synagogue was Israeli. It stated that the destruction of the synagogue was "collateral damage" and that it was not the direct target of the airstrike.[7] The IDF said it "regrets" the destruction of the synagogue.[7]