‘It's the civilians who will pay the price': Iranians prepare for the worst after Israeli strikes

France 24

a day ago

'I noticed that my internet connection was very weak [Thursday] when I was going to bed, but I never would have imagined waking up to this, even if news was going around about an eventual attack by Israel. We've been hearing it for so long that we got used to living our lives as if nothing were about to happen,' said Ahmad*, a resident of the Shariati neighborhood in Tehran, his voice hoarse after little sleep. 'I was woken up very early by my mother who wanted to know if we were safe. She lives in the east of Tehran. She was awoken by nearby explosions.'
The 40-year-old engineer and father said he feared what was to come, even though he said he was used to the emotional ups and downs of living in a country where international tensions often threaten to devolve into a full-blown war with Israel and the United States.
Although Israeli strikes have already targeted Iran three times in the past – in April, July, and October 2024 – a new line has been crossed. 'The Israeli attack was unprecedented because of its scale, and it will without a doubt influence the future of the region in upcoming months,' said Jonathan Piron, a historian specialised in Iran at the Etopia research centre in Brussels in an interview with FRANCE 24.
Israel carried out the strikes on Iran overnight Thursday into Friday, using 200 airplanes against a hundred targets, especially in Tehran and on Iran's nuclear enrichment facility in Natanz. Residential buildings in the Iranian capital were also struck.
At least 78 people were killed and 329 injured in Tehran, according to the Iranian news agency Nournews. The director of a hospital in the city said at least "four young children" died in the Israeli strikes early Friday, according to the official IRNA news agency.
The massive attacks also targeted senior military commanders and several nuclear scientists, leaving civilian casualties.
'I saw videos of collapsed buildings, the residents on the floors below the targeted apartments were killed," said Ahmad.
'I've already lived through a war'
Neguine* learned about the death of a friend's uncle in one of the early-morning strikes. "He was a civilian,' she said. 'He had nothing to do with it. Luckily, his wife and son were away on a trip.'
"There's worry, anxiety, and anger. But these are feelings I'm used to. I was born in 1979; I've never known serenity," said Neguine, who had celebrated her 13-year-old son's birthday the evening before by taking him to the movies. "I've already lived through a war, and I will never rejoice in bombings for any reason. I don't think anyone who has experienced that can rejoice in such an event."
Many of Tehran's residents had left the city on Friday, Iran's weekly day of rest, because Saturday was the Shiite holiday of Eid al-Ghadir. Such was the case of Solmaz*, who had just spent two days on the shores of the Caspian Sea. Reached by telephone on her way back to Tehran, the 30 year old said she wanted to return home to her family: "We don't know what will happen next."
'It's the civilians who will pay the price'
Residents in Tehran rushed to stores to stock up on groceries as lines in front of the gas stations grew.
"People are expecting prices to increase," said Neguine. "It's a blow. We were already struggling with an economic crisis. It's going to get even worse." She decided to have lunch at her mother's house on Friday afternoon as planned to try to take her mind off the attacks. "Our moments of peace are rare. We have to make the most of them. But we'll be careful not to take certain roads and avoid tunnels. You never know."
In the meantime, advice on social media abounded: "Don't go to gatherings", "Avoid going to the sites of the strikes", "Stay home".
Mina* was among those who decided to go out anyway. "I'm actually not that sad," said the 39 year old. "Those targeted by these strikes are worse than our enemies abroad. They've done us a lot of harm. Our government has completely abandoned us," she said.
"Experiencing a second war in my lifetime would be terrible, but I feel like we're heading straight for that. Our society is already dying. We're overwhelmed with debt and economic problems," Mina continued, adding that she had lost all hope. "I know very well that, in the event of war, it's the civilians who will pay the price.'
Farideh*, a resident of the Amir Abad neighbourhood, woke up at 3am Friday to the sound of explosions, followed by salvos from the missile defence shield a few hours later. She claimed her last remaining hope was with US President Donald Trump.
"I'll be closely following the [nuclear] negotiations scheduled for Sunday with the Americans. Our peace of mind depends on it," she said.
The US president exhorted Tehran on Friday after the strikes to "make a deal, before there is nothing left', warning that Israel's attacks "will only get worse".