'I tell my children it’s just thunder': How ordinary Iranians are dealing with war
Relentless US and Israeli airstrikes have forced millions of Iranians into a state of daily fear and disruption. The campaign is inflicting psychological and social turmoil, deepening instability and raising acute risks of wider regional escalation.
Sustained US and Israeli airstrikes have severely disrupted civilian life across key Iranian population centers, thrusting ordinary families into an environment of relentless insecurity. In major cities including Tehran, Isfahan, and Shiraz, repeated bombardments have reduced daily routines to a cycle of fear and uncertainty.
This campaign follows months of escalating confrontation between Iran, the US, and Israel, with tit-for-tat attacks intensifying since late 2023. The current wave of airstrikes represents one of the most aggressive joint operational phases against Iran’s homeland since the Islamic Republic’s formation in 1979.
The situation is significant globally: Iran sits at the heart of major energy supply lines and regional alliances, and mass civilian disruption heightens risks of miscalculation and retaliatory action. The attacks highlight lethality far beyond conventional battlefield targets, damaging urban infrastructure and compounding humanitarian strain.
At the core are the strategic motives of both Washington and Jerusalem to degrade Iran’s ballistic missile and command assets, while Tehran seeks to project resilience. Iranian authorities have downplayed civilian casualties, but on-the-ground reporting contradicts this narrative. For civilian populations, particularly families with children, the psychological trauma and shattered normalcy are acute.
Operationally, the strikes appear to have leveraged stand-off munitions, F-35I Adir jets, and potentially naval-launched cruise missiles. Reports point to dozens of air sorties per week, targeting air defense nodes, IRGC facilities, and suspected missile stockpiles. Casualty estimates remain contested, but local sources report 120+ civilian injuries and significant residential damage across at least three provinces.
Consequences include mass displacement, plunging economic activity, and escalating calls from hardline Iranian factions for direct response against US and Israeli assets in the Gulf. The risk of regional slide into open interstate war is now undeniable, with each civilian hardship fueling resentment and radicalization.
Historically, external airstrikes on regional capitals—Baghdad in 2003, Beirut in 2006, Gaza repeatedly—have failed to subdue state opponents or prevent further conflict expansion. Iran’s urban resilience, much like these precedents, points to a protracted cycle of resistance and retribution.
Analysts warn to watch for Iranian asymmetric retaliation—drone strikes, cyberattacks, or escalation via proxies such as Hezbollah and militias in Iraq or Yemen. The coming weeks may determine whether current containment policies collapse into comprehensive regional warfare. Civilian suffering will remain a key barometer of risk.