Inside Iran: Terror and Relief Collide as Strikes Hit

At 9:40 AM local time, thunderous explosions shattered the morning calm across multiple Iranian cities. Social media videos captured people fleeing blast sites in terror, their screams echoing through the chaos.

Yet amid the panic, something unexpected emerged. BBC Persian reports a palpable sense of relief—even celebration—among those who believe only military intervention can topple the regime.

Two Voices from the Streets

In one video, a woman speaks with unmistakable relief about Ayatollah Khamenei's residence being hit. Another clip shows teenagers at a school dancing and chanting, "The strikes have happened—I love Trump!"

But pro-regime voices tell a different story. "This was a normal day until the United States and Israel started attacking the city," one Tehran resident told BBC Newshour. "Our children had gone to school in the morning. We had to go and get them."

Since Friday night, long queues have formed at petrol stations. Many Tehran residents have fled north toward the Caspian Sea, believing it safer. Others stockpile canned food as fighter jets roar overhead.

Desperate Messages Before the Blackout

As Iran imposed an almost total internet shutdown, some managed brief connections through SpaceX's Starlink and VPNs. Before going dark, social media filled with haunting messages.

"If I die, don't forget that we exist too—those of us who oppose any military attack, those of us who will become just a number in reports of the dead," wrote one Iranian.

Another pleaded: "Promise that if anything happens to us, you will look after our children and be very, very kind to them. Tell them we did everything we could—we joined silent marches, we voted, we endured great hardship."

The Regime Change Dilemma

According to BBC Persian, many Iranians who survived what's been called one of history's bloodiest civilian crackdowns now welcome regime change—even through military intervention. Some report receiving text messages reading "Help has come," urging them to stay home.

But others fear airstrikes alone won't collapse the regime. They worry it could survive and become even more brutal toward its own people—a chilling prospect for those who've already endured so much.

When Children Become Casualties

Public sentiment could shift dramatically if civilians die. Iranian state media reported an Israeli strike on a girls' school killed dozens in Minab (unconfirmed), sparking outrage.

An Iranian abroad opposed to military intervention asked: "The first victims of this war are 40 girls in Minab, hit by a missile attack. Is this the war you cheer for?"

Yet deep mistrust of the regime makes official reports suspect. One user blamed the government itself: "Even if the regime didn't directly target schools, the deaths of children in Minab remain the responsibility of the Islamic Republic. People have no shelters, the internet is cut, phone lines are down."