• 16 Jun, 2025
• Faith Kegh
• No comment

Iranians React with Fear and Confusion as Israeli Strikes Hit Tehran.

Residents of Tehran are reeling from shock following a sudden Israeli attack on the city early Friday morning. Describing long queues

at bakeries, traffic jams, and sleepless nights, many say they are filled with fear, confusion, and uncertainty.

A 21-year-old music student, speaking under the pseudonym Donya, described the emotional toll. “We haven’t slept for nights,” she said. Despite many people fleeing, she has chosen to stay. “My dad says it’s more honourable to die in your own house than to run away.”

Donya said she opposes both the Islamic Republic and foreign intervention, including Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s call for Iranians to rise against their government. “We don’t want Israel to save us. No foreign country has ever cared for Iran,” she said.

Another woman said she initially felt a strange thrill when high-ranking Iranian military officials were killed — figures she had believed untouchable. But her emotions shifted once civilians began dying. “I felt sorrow, fear, and sadness,” she said. Her concern deepened after learning that the vital South Pars gas field had been targeted. “It felt like they want to turn Iran into ruins.”

According to Iranian authorities, over 220 people, including women and children, have been killed since the attacks began. Israel reports at least 24 fatalities from Iranian missiles over the same period.

Unlike Israel, Iran lacks air raid sirens and public shelters. Many residents are left guessing where missiles might strike next. Reports of car bombings in Tehran have further heightened panic. Even supporters of the regime are questioning its defense capabilities.

Donya, once defiant of the regime’s strict dress codes, now stays indoors with her university exams postponed. “At night I get terrified. I take pills to help me relax and sleep,” she said.

Authorities have suggested using mosques and metro stations for shelter, but residents say blasts come without warning. “Every neighborhood has been affected,” said another woman, who relocated with her family to an area with no known government buildings.

She compared the chaos to the Titanic disaster: “Some tried to flee, others said it wasn’t a big deal, and some kept dancing.”

Although she opposes Iran’s clerical rule, she called the Israeli attacks “inexcusable.” She added, “Freedom and human rights don’t come from bombs falling on cities full of defenseless civilians.”

The Israeli strikes have sparked debate among Iranians. Some quietly cheer the weakening of the regime, while others are outraged by civilian casualties. The situation has divided communities — even families — and left many frightened about what lies ahead.

With bags packed with essentials, many Iranians are bracing for more violence. Israel has claimed that Iran’s military uses civilian areas to hide command centers and weapons, intensifying the complexity of the conflict.

Members of the Iranian diaspora share the same concern. Dorreh Khatibi-Hill, a UK-based activist, said, “We’re glad the regime is being challenged, but we also see innocent civilians dying. It’s a humanitarian catastrophe.”

She added that the Iranian public is being kept in the dark. “The Supreme Leader remains in place while ordinary Iranians flee for their lives,” she said. “No one wants Iran to become another Iraq or Syria. We don’t want this war. We don’t want this regime either.”

Faith Kegh

Content & Editorial Manager – Leads the creation, review, and publication of high-quality news and media content. She ensures that all editorial work reflects the organization’s standards of accuracy, professionalism, and relevance, while also engaging and informing the audience.

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