In a statement, the Israeli military said the target was located within the compound of Imam Hossein University, which it identified as the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ primary military academic institution and an emergency support asset for Iran’s armed forces.

The Israeli military said it carried out multiple strikes on infrastructure within the university complex in recent days, aiming to degrade Iran’s weapons production and development capabilities.

According to the statement, the strikes destroyed underground wind tunnels, a chemistry centre, and a technology and engineering facility linked to a mechanics and development group, all of which Israel said were used in weapons research.

Israel described the university as a central component of the IRGC’s military infrastructure. The institution has previously been visited by senior Iranian officials, including former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

There was no immediate confirmation or response from Iranian authorities regarding the reported strike or the extent of damage.

Trump stated that the underground facility is being built as part of the broader development linked to the ballroom, though he did not disclose further details regarding its purpose, scale, or operational timeline. The comments mark the first public acknowledgment of such a project beneath the White House grounds.

The president provided no specifics on the nature of the complex, including whether it is intended for security, command, or logistical functions. The White House and the Department of Defense have not issued formal statements elaborating on the project.

Large-scale subterranean infrastructure associated with executive facilities in Washington has historically been tied to continuity-of-government planning and national security requirements, though no direct confirmation was provided in this case.

Trump said the project is “under construction” and “ahead of schedule,” suggesting an accelerated timeline for completion. It remains unclear when construction began or which military or civilian contractors are involved.

The ballroom project itself has not been extensively detailed in official disclosures, and its integration with a military-linked underground facility raises questions about the scope and coordination of the development.

Presidential infrastructure expansions in Washington are typically subject to stringent security protocols, often involving coordination between multiple federal agencies. Any underground complex beneath the White House would likely fall under classified planning frameworks, limiting public visibility into its design and function.

No cost estimates or congressional oversight details were immediately available.

Zelensky said on X that he had instructed Ukraine’s intelligence chief to brief Kyiv’s international partners on the reported plans, which he described as part of Moscow’s continued use of Belarusian territory and occupied areas of Ukraine to support drone operations.

In his nightly video address, Zelensky said the intelligence indicated Russia intends to build additional ground control stations to enhance long-range drone capabilities. He added that Belarus had previously played a role in amplifying the impact of Russian strikes earlier in the conflict, before Ukraine took countermeasures.

“We now have information from our intelligence that Russia intends to continue using the territory of Belarus and temporarily occupied territory of Ukraine to build ground control stations for long-range drones,” he said.

Zelensky warned that Ukraine would respond to any such developments. “There will be responses to this. And they will be felt,” he said, without providing details.

The Belarusian foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment outside business hours.