TEHRAN, IRAN – After two weeks of a sustained US-Israeli bombing campaign, a significant shift in sentiment is emerging among Iranians who have long opposed their government Initial hopes that foreign military intervention might aid their cause have turned to despair and anger as strikes hit civilian areas One student at the University of Tehran summarized the growing disillusionment, stating, “You are all worse than each other”
The air assault has reportedly killed hundreds as airstrikes have hit residential blocks, shops, fuel depots, and a school These outcomes are reportedly driving the change in attitude among anti-regime voices in Tehran who had previously expressed hope for external support The mood change on the ground suggests that the intervention, rather than weakening the regime by winning over the populace, may be alienating key opposition segments
The conflict has also been marked by major political upheaval. Iran’s supreme leader was killed in an airstrike on the first day of the war, with his son quickly appointed to replace him, signalling regime continuity Regionally, the conflict is widening and fracturing alliances. In a notable development, Hamas issued a public plea for its ally, Iran, to “stop targeting neighboring countries,” underscoring deep anxiety across the Middle East about the war escalating into a full-scale regional conflagration For many in the Iranian opposition, the promise of external support has morphed into a nightmare of being crushed between two forces they now see as equally destructive
Yasir Rai
