Destruction of Jedha City

"We need a statement, not a manifesto."

- Wilhuff Tarkin to Orson Krennic

During the Galactic Civil War, the Galactic Empire, in an effort to test the superlaser on the Death Star, used the battlestation to destroy the holy city of the moon Jedha. Operating on a single reactor for the superlaser's power, the Empire evacuated the Imperial occupation force before moving the Death Star into orbit, targeting the holy city, and destroying it. The blast caused not only an enormous explosion but also significant damage to the planet, throwing fire, smoke, and dirt high into the air. On the ground, the shockwave caused Jedha's surface to begin peeling back, destroying everything that it touched.

Behind the scenes
The destruction of Jedha City was depicted in the 2016 Anthology film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. The first footage of the event was shown in the first Rogue One trailer on August 11, 2016. In Star Wars Legends, which is non-canon in the official Star Wars continuity following 2014, the event where the Death Star tested its Superweapon was identified as the Destruction of Despayre.

Appearances

 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novel
 * Doctor Aphra 3: Book I, Part III