Tehran has largely emptied of people since the start of the conflict, with many residents reportedly fleeing the city amid widespread panic. The observations come as the city endures a fourth consecutive day of heavy bombardment following a series of attacks by the United States and Israel.
Reuters and the Associated Press reported Tuesday that streets in the Iranian capital are almost deserted, aside from checkpoints and patrols conducted by the Revolutionary Guard. Residents described a city gripped by fear, with many seeking to leave despite security concerns.
“Notice checkpoints on every street and in every alley,” said Fariba Gerami, a resident of northern Tehran, according to Reuters. She and her husband, who runs a small café, have been affected by power outages and disruptions to the water supply. “At night, we and our friends are afraid that thieves might break into our apartments,” Gerami said. The family intends to leave the country as soon as It’s safe to do so.
Samireh, a 33-year-old nurse who declined to give her last name, told Reuters, “I’m afraid to go out on the empty streets because bombs are constantly falling from the sky.” She described the city as appearing “as if no one ever lived here.”
Heavy explosions continue to rock Tehran, with plumes of gray smoke rising into the sky. Saghar, 31, reported feeling the vibrations of the attacks, stating, “When we hear the noise of the attacks, we feel the windows and doors shake when we are close to the impact site.”
Reports from individuals crossing into Turkey from Iran paint a picture of widespread destruction and fear. One man, who wished to remain anonymous, spoke of weeping children and panic among the population, noting that civilian buildings had been struck. Another traveler described seeing numerous wrecked cars and impassable roads, stating, “People are panicking and want to leave the country. They don’t realize what to do.”
Concerns are growing over civilian casualties. A hospital near Tehran was reportedly hit on Monday, forcing an evacuation. The reported attack on a girls’ school in southern Iran in the early hours of the conflict, with authorities claiming 150 deaths, has further fueled anxieties, though the figure remains unverified. State television broadcast images of a funeral procession featuring small coffins draped in Iranian flags.
“World, do you see this? They are killing us. Hear our voice,” Firuzeh Seraj pleaded from Tehran, according to reports. She expressed fear for her ten-year-old daughter, who requires dialysis, and the risk of bringing her to the hospital during the attacks.
Prior to a Tuesday night strike, the Israeli military called for the evacuation of areas housing the Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, issuing the warning via X, though limited internet access within Iran restricted its reach.
Iran’s Red Crescent has reported 787 deaths, a figure that has not been independently confirmed. In response to the U.S.-Israeli attacks, Tehran launched a wave of drone and missile strikes targeting countries in the region, including Israel, Jordan, and Gulf monarchies, hitting both military and civilian targets, according to reports.
The death of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday sparked spontaneous celebrations in some parts of Tehran, although supporters of the government held mourning processions. However, these demonstrations did not escalate into widespread unrest, unlike protests earlier in January where security forces reportedly killed thousands of people.
In Urmia, near the Turkish and Iraqi borders, a woman described the heaviest bombardment yet on Tuesday night. “I was terrified. There are no shelters. No help. They are bombing everywhere,” she said, adding that internet access is intermittent and people are stockpiling food and medicine, fearing shortages.
Hassan, a retired army officer in northern Iran, blamed Khamenei’s nuclear policies for escalating tensions with the West. “Chamenei is dead, but the consequences of his years of stubbornness are still killing the Iranian people,” he said. “Why so much hostility towards the world? What has this nuclear program brought us except bombardment, isolation, and misery?”
As of Wednesday, the U.S. Has indicated that attacks on Iran will continue for weeks and intensify, according to AP News.