India, June 18 -- A series of powerful Israeli airstrikes rocked the Iranian capital early Wednesday, marking the most direct and intense escalation yet in a weeklong military campaign aimed at crippling Iran's nuclear and military infrastructure. The strikes came just hours after US President Donald Trump warned Tehran's residents to evacuate and demanded Iran's "unconditional surrender."

The early-morning bombardment sent shockwaves across Tehran as explosions lit up the predawn sky and shook buildings. While Iranian officials made no formal acknowledgment of the attacks, continuing a pattern of silence amid escalating strikes, residents reported a deafening blast around 5 am, with earlier detonations in the darkness.

At least 224 Ira...