A gathering of individuals displaying protest signs against Israel and images of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, with Iranian flag
In the early hours of Friday, Mehrdad, a 43-year-old engineer in Isfahan, Iran, was awoken by the sound of explosions rattling his windows and shaking the ground. Meanwhile, passengers in Tehran preparing to board flights were suddenly informed that the airspace was closed.
It soon became apparent that Israel had launched an attack on Iran.
Amid distant booms and gunfire, Mehrdad realized that the target of the Israeli strike was a military base on the outskirts of the city. Speaking in a phone interview, he expressed fear for the onset of war, particularly as he and his pregnant wife remained apprehensive.
“I believe Israel wanted to assess the situation with last night’s strikes,” said Mehrdad, who, like others interviewed for this piece, requested anonymity for fear of reprisal. “I am concerned about what lies ahead, but I also hold onto hope that things will not escalate further.”
Similarly, it appears that the Iranian government shares this desire for restraint. Despite a week of vowing a robust response to any Israeli aggression on Iranian soil, the government now seems to be stepping back from the brink of war with Israel. Facing significant economic challenges and internal discontent, analysts suggest that the government has adopted a dual approach: proclaiming victory over Israel while simultaneously tightening control at home.
