Tehran – We have seen it happen in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria for the past 20 months – Israel has launched attacks on housing, hospitals, places of worship and civilian infrastructure. However, the Iranians never imagined that these scenes would be recreated in Tehran, Kermansha or Mashhad.
Israel’s deadly military campaign against Iran was framed as a “preemptive” measure and began with the assassination of high-ranking military personnel and nuclear scientists. It targeted at least five IRGC generals and nine scientists in the house, killing them along with dozens of civilians who were sleeping in the same building.
The administration believed that these assassinations would “decapitate” Iran’s military leaders, preventing retaliation, or at least delaying it in the near future. Scientists were killed to ensure that the country could not immediately rebuild its programme after Israel destroyed Iran’s nuclear facility. However, neither of the administration’s predictions came to fruition.
Ayatollah, the leader of the Islamic Revolution, quickly replaced Ali Khamenei with a fallen general. With a solid video message, he assures the Iranian people that the military would leave the regime “powerlessly.” And that’s exactly what’s happening.
Iran launched True Promise 3 on the same day the military leader was killed. Since Friday, Iranian missiles have slammed dozens of military and spy bases across Israel every night, with the most evasive intercept. Today, Iranian lawmakers have said on television nationwide that the operation will continue until the government collapses.
The attack on Israeli Iran’s nuclear sites caused ground damage, but failed to penetrate the enhanced underground facilities. In a statement released after the massacre of nuclear scientists, scholars and university students said they would show Israel and the world that Iran’s true nuclear capabilities “really so.”
Meanwhile, at least three Israeli fighter jets have been shot down, and two pilots are now taken prisoner in Iran.
So, what will Israel do when its plans fail and face merciless retaliation? It goes back to the old tactics: targeting the civilians and infrastructure they rely on.
Local media reported on Sunday that weapons primarily used by regime agents in Iran, an Israeli-operated drone, have attacked a vital water pipeline in northern Tehran, destroying supplies. The incident followed a wave of Israeli strikes targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure. Just a day ago, the drone collided with two gas refineries in southern Iran and multiple fuel storage sites in Tehran. On Sunday, Israeli drones once again raided residential buildings in the capital. In a city in eastern Mashhad, they targeted the airport and another unusual attack struck a stable in Western Kermansha, killing more than 50 animals. Human deaths from these relentless attacks now exceed 300, with countless lives waning as violence spreads throughout Iran.
Iranian civilians don’t give Israel what they want
For decades, Israel and its allies have been operating under the illusion that civilian fear breeds obedience. However, Iranians, like other countries exposed to such campaigns, understand that these attacks are not accidents of war. They are a systematic attempt to punish the population for national decisions. Rather than sowing Israeli homes, water supplies, and even livestock, Israel sparked anger and strengthened a common sense of rebellion. When Kelmansha stables were bombed and killed more than 50 animals, it was not just cruel acts. That was the message: the aspects of Iran’s life are not off limits. However, the reaction from ordinary Iranians is clear.
A Tehran resident whose apartment was damaged during a drone strike in eastern Tehran, told reporters:
This emotion resonates throughout the country. Far from false morale, the war with Israeli civilians exposed moral bankruptcy and strengthened the ties between Iranian people and their advocates. The government’s rapid military response – the true promise of operation 3 not only restored deterrence, but also demonstrated that Iran would not be bullied by surrender.