The Israeli military (IDF) stated that it has received reports indicating that a nearby synagogue was hit. "The IDF regrets the collateral damage to the synagogue and emphasizes that the strike was aimed at a high-value military target within the regime's armed forces, not at any place of worship," the military said in a statement to CNN. The military reported that the target was a senior commander in the Khatam al-Anbiya emergency headquarters, which is used by the Iranian armed forces. The IDF noted that it had taken measures before the strike to minimize civilian casualties. The Israeli military's public relations office issues these statements, which cannot be objectively verified, while hundreds and thousands of civilians are being killed. The damage to the synagogue occurred ahead of the conclusion of Passover, the Jewish holiday commemorating the Israelites' exodus from Egyptian slavery in the 12th century BCE. Earlier on Tuesday, CNN geolocated photos and video footage released by Iranian media, showing extensive damage to the Rafi Nia synagogue, with books containing Hebrew script scattered among the rubble. The synagogue is "one of the religious centers of Tehran's Jews dating back to the Pahlavi II era," reported the Iranian Students' News Agency (ISNA), stating it was "completely destroyed in an airstrike." Homayoun Sameyah Najafabadi, the sole Jewish representative in the Iranian parliament, condemned the attack in a video released by the Iranian state media IRIB News. "The Zionist regime showed no mercy to this community during the Jewish holidays and attacked one of our ancient and holy synagogues. Unfortunately, during this attack, the synagogue building was completely destroyed, and Torah scrolls remain under the rubble," Najafabadi said.