Iran on Tuesday claimed that Israel carried out an early morning strike that damaged a Jewish synagogue in the capital Tehran, amid escalating hostilities in West Asia.“In a predictable turn, Israel strikes early this morning damaged a Jewish synagogue in Tehran,” the Consulate General of Iran in Mumbai said in a post on X.The Iranian mission asserted that Jews in Iran “enjoy one of the most secure and respected lives”, noting that the community holds a reserved seat in the country’s parliament.There was no immediate response from Israel on the claim, and the extent of damage to the synagogue could not be independently verified.The development comes against the backdrop of intensifying conflict in the region, with Israel expanding military operations and Iran accusing it of targeting civilian and symbolic sites.Iran is home to one of the largest Jewish communities in the Middle East outside Israel. Estimates suggest that around 8,000 to 10,000 Jews live in the country, primarily in Tehran, Shiraz and Isfahan.Despite decades of political hostility between Iran and Israel, the Jewish community in Iran has historically maintained a distinct identity and is officially recognised as a religious minority.Under Iran’s constitution, Jews are allocated one seat in the parliament, and community institutions, including synagogues and schools, continue to function, though under state oversight.