The Iranian population has been preparing for a possible war for weeks. Many have stockpiled water and bought tens of kilos of dry goods and other necessities. Freezers have been emptied in anticipation of a power outage, and on Saturday many families kept their children at home, even though it is a school day in Iran.
"We hope for victory," says a Tehran resident.
For many Iranians, however, victory is about overthrowing the regime, rather than Iran winning militarily over Israel and the United States.
In a video on Truth Social, US President Donald Trump urged the Iranian people to stand up against the government as soon as the bombings subside, saying the Iranians' "hour of freedom is near."
"The only thing we're thinking about now is being safe," mother of two, Laleh, told The New York Times.
Nobody is thinking of protesting now.
Esfandiar, who is in northern Tehran, wrote in a text message to the newspaper that the situation is frightening.
"My children are crying and scared. We are huddled in the bathroom and don't know what to do."
Another Tehran resident describes how she saw a row of fighter jets.
“People are standing on the roof and looking at the sky, pointing down. You can hear women screaming and some of my neighbors are running to their cars,” Golsan Fathi tells The New York Times, continuing:
“It feels like we're in a movie,” she says.
