As Israel and Iran attacked each other with fresh strikes, Iranian citizens’ early hopes that the conflict would be short-lived were giving way on Sunday to fear that the violence they were seeing outside their windows will not end anytime soon.
In voice notes and text messages, some residents of Tehran described to The New York Times what it was like living under the Israeli barrage. All asked to use only their first name because of the heightened security situation.
In some places, residents were close enough to see missiles streaking across the sky and the fireballs, smoke and rubble left behind their impacts. Behzed, a 40-year-old copyright expert, saw the aftermath of Israel’s attack on a fuel depot in northern Tehran from the rooftop of her home a few miles away.
“The explosion was clearly visible, its glow illuminating the nearby mountain,” she said. “I never imagined witnessing such a scene in my city during my lifetime.”
Ali, a 43-year-old engineer in Tehran, said that “on the first night of the attacks, we thought it would be temporary.”
“But the second night was overwhelming; we barely slept,” he added.
He said he and his wife have tried to shield their young children “from the situation, avoiding TV and words like ‘war’ to keep them from sensing our anxiety.”
“We still hope this will pass soon,” he continued, “but deaths and casualties are hitting closer to home.” He had hoped that Iran would resume negotiations with the United States to end the war, but after talks scheduled to take place in Oman this weekend were canceled, his mood shifted. “My hope is fading,” he said.
That sentiment was echoed by Arash, a 42-year-old psychologist, who said this conflict seemed different from earlier clashes with Israel.
“Many people remain in denial, hoping this crisis will end soon, but the atmosphere is gradually shifting,” he said.
“Increasingly, people are realizing that this wave of attacks differs from previous ones, which typically involved a single strike followed by a two-week lull,” he added. “Now, life feels like it’s on hold.”
Internet access has been restricted since the first attacks, adding to the uncertainty, Arash said. “Residents are desperate for news about the explosions,” he explained, and are trying to find virtual private networks to bypass restrictions.
In recent days, some Iranians have also expressed anger at the leaders of Israel and sometimes their own country, with many saying that the violence reminded them of the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s or the Iranian revolution of 1979.
Sepideh, a teacher, blamed the Iranian government’s “misguided decisions” for economic hardships, including inflation and the heavy sanctions imposed on it, which had weakened the country before the conflict.
She said that she had seen videos circulating on social media, showing some Iranians celebrating after the Israeli assault. “They believe that attacks targeting Iranian leaders could lead to their freedom, even at the cost of national resources,” she said.
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