Tehran-The 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel appeared externally as a military conflict, but at its core there was a social and feminine dimension.
Looking back, considering Netanyahu and Trump’s remarks, it became clear that the true purpose of the war was not limited to air missile exchanges or battles, but instead was designed for Iranian streets and social networks.
Looking at the interviews, military documents and the series of events, it appears that the enemy’s plan was made up of five stages.
Stage 1: Application of a “decapitation” strategy with a surprising assassination of commanders, from senior staff officers to key operational figures. By cutting off commanders from military general staff to IRGC aerospace operations units, the enemy aimed to fully defend the field forces and paralyze the military’s defenses.
Stage 2: Uses electronic warfare and drone use that attacks air defense systems, closes missile cities, and exposes the troops.
Stage 3: The threat of telephones directed at commanders, politicians and even families is intended to spread fear and neutralize them from within the household.
Stage 4: Cyberattacks on bank sepas and financial account disruption, especially those belonging to military families, aims to strengthen the reliability of telephone threats and further establish passivity.
Stage 5: Large media campaign. Israel mobilized influence through foreign media outlets and social networks, spreading slogans such as “stand-up,” “final blow delivery,” and “strike hard, Israel.” At the same time, Reza and Yasmin Pahlavi were active online, repeatedly urging people to take them on the streets. Netanyahu himself spoke openly to the Iranians, declaring, “This is your chance to hear your voice.” He further emphasized: “These attacks could lead to a change of government because the Iranian regime is so weak.”
However, despite the accuracy of this plan, the enemy’s calculations fell apart. On the battlefield, military structures were reorganized under the direction of the military commander and endured the pressure of electronic warfare, air defenses were restored, and Iranian missiles were fired in Tel Aviv, even under intense enemy fires. Most importantly, street anxiety has not exploded within Iranian cities, contrary to the expectations of the Zionist regime and the US.
Instead, Iranian society responded in a very different way. On social media, citizens came together in support of the country. Public reports to Hotlines 110, 113 and 114 have been multiplied by drones and quadcopters, increasing national unity against foreign pressure.
From a broad macro perspective, the 12-day war showed that Iranian society responded completely against Israeli and the US calculations, but that a closer micro-level appearance is needed to fully understand the elements of this result. Beyond the role of the military in reorganizing themselves, and beyond the efforts of government in managing fuel supplies, providing essential goods, and stabilizing currency, special attention must be paid to the role of women as emotional managers of families.
This is very important because the heart of the war was designed around causing street anxiety. However, investigations that include those conducted by Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) indicate that this is not the case. 77% of Iranians said they were proud of the military’s response to Israel’s attacks during the 12-day war. About 80.5% rated military performance as “very strong” or “relatively strong”, while 79.8% said war had a “very important” or “important” effect on national unity. These results reflect broad social self-awareness. “Under outside pressure, the nation united.”
Looking at these figures, we can reveal a consensus within public opinion regarding national unity. Despite the enemy’s media campaign, society experienced both internal solidarity and new public trust. If families are considered the smallest building blocks of society, family resilience and endurance must be recognized as an important factor in this cohesion. In fact, data and collective interpretations of social behavior during the war strongly suggest that, as women serve as emotional managers of households, their ability to create calm and resilience within the family spread outwardly to strengthen society as a whole.
Research conducted during Iran’s Covid-19 crisis further confirms the role of this woman. A qualitative study conducted in Iran in 2021 found that housewives take responsibility for caring for children and seniors while managing daily chores during quarantine and overseeing their children’s online education. They strengthened emotional bonds within the household to reduce psychological pressure. Another study published in BMC Women’s Health in 2020 reported that the quality of life of married Iranian women during the pandemic is directly linked to their mental health, marriage satisfaction and ability to manage family anxiety. Similarly, a 2022 study of Iranian students showed that social support within the family (some mothers and women provide, and that is significantly associated with low levels of despair and anxiety.
Taken together, these findings indirectly show that women are pillars of family resilience during crisis. When expanded to a social level, the invisible role in managing the emotions within the household and reducing in-household anxiety leads to wider social cohesion. This pattern became visible during the coronavirus pandemic and was repeated during the 12-day war.
Therefore, Iran’s success in a 12-day conflict against a powerful and armed enemy was not a result of military power alone. The essential element is the social foundation created within the family, with women in the center. The enemy hoped the streets would be engulfed in flames and that Iran would drive towards fragmentation. What actually emerged was national unity and unity.