Residents across Iran say daily life has been transformed by fear and uncertainty as US and Israeli air strikes continue to pound military and political targets across the country.
“The number of explosions, the destruction, what is happening — it’s unbelievable,” said Salar, a Tehran resident whose name has been changed for security reasons.
Strikes began on Feb. 28, targeting what Washington and Israeli officials describe as key military and political facilities linked to Iran’s ruling establishment. However, civilian areas have also been affected as the conflict escalates.
According to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRNA), more than 1,100 Iranian civilians have been killed since hostilities began.
Civilian casualties and disputed strikes
Iranian officials say more than 160 people, including children, died when a girls’ school in the southern city of Minab was hit during strikes on Saturday.
The White House said the United States does not deliberately target civilians and that officials are investigating the incident.
For many residents, the intensity of the bombardment has been overwhelming.
“What we are experiencing now is beyond what we experienced during the 12-day war,” one Tehran resident told BBC Persian, referring to last year’s confrontation between Iran and Israel.
Salar said air strikes have shaken entire neighborhoods.
“Each day has felt like a month,” he said. “The volume of attacks is so high.”
During one recent strike, he said his house shook violently. He left his windows open in an attempt to prevent glass from shattering.
Empty streets and rising prices
Daily life in Tehran has slowed dramatically as residents stay indoors.
Most people venture outside only to buy essential supplies, while many shops remain closed. Some cash machines are out of service, though bakeries and supermarkets are still operating.
“The city feels empty,” one woman in Tehran said, adding that people leave their homes only for urgent reasons.
Residents say prices for staple goods such as eggs and potatoes have surged, while long lines for bread and petrol have become common.
Meanwhile, security forces have increased their presence on the streets, setting up checkpoints across the capital.
“There are checkpoints everywhere,” said a 25-year-old student in Tehran. “They’re scared of their own shadows.”
Communication blackouts and uncertainty
Internet disruptions have further complicated life for many Iranians.
International news organizations are rarely granted visas to report from inside Iran, and internet shutdowns have made it difficult to verify information or communicate with relatives.
Kaveh, a resident of Zanjan about 275 kilometers northeast of Tehran, said the city was heavily bombed during the first days of the conflict.
“We live in an area where fighter jets constantly pass overhead,” he said. Smoke from strike sites left the sky clouded for days.
Both Kaveh and Salar said they rely on virtual private networks to access blocked websites and communicate with friends and family abroad.
Meanwhile, authorities have warned citizens against protests. Salar said residents have received text messages threatening harsh punishment for demonstrations.
Neither man knows how the conflict will end.
“I doubt any of us will ever be the same as before,” Salar said. “People are under enormous stress.”
Kaveh said many fear the war could last longer than expected.
