For me, hell was not the moment Israel attacked; hell was the moment they wouldn't open the door [of the cell] for us, recalled Motahareh Goonei in an exclusive interview. As a political activist held captive in Iran's Evin Prison, Goonei was alone when Israeli missiles struck during a targeted attack on June 23. Eyewitness accounts and satellite imagery reveal how the attack, which resulted in the deadliest civilian casualties on Iranian soil, left significant damage and loss within the high-security complex.

Authorities reported that 80 individuals, including staff and inmates, were killed. Human Rights Watch condemned the airstrikes, labeling them as indiscriminate and potentially a war crime. Meanwhile, the Israel Defense Forces claimed the facility was being utilized for operations against them.

The devastation forced inmates into chaos, leading to scenes of trapped prisoners aiding panicked guards. As Goonei described, conditions in the aftermath were nightmarish as she and others attempted to escape the thick smoke and debris, facing resistance from prison guards.

The situation for inmates remained precarious, with reports of missing prisoners and questions surrounding the safety of vulnerable populations, including transgender individuals, still unanswered.