Israeli aerial attacks on Iran, which started in the early hours of June 13, have resulted in a rapidly escalating civilian crisis. According to official sources, at least 224 people have been killed, including 70 women and children. The vast majority of casualties have been civilians.
Israel’s bombardments have extended well beyond military targets, striking key infrastructure such as vital oil and gas facilities, as well as several nuclear facilities and research and development sites. The Islamic Republic of Iran’s Broadcasting Agency (IRIB) was also struck, following a statement by Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz who said: “The Iranian propaganda and incitement mouthpiece is on its way to disappear.” On that day, June 16, Israel called for the evacuation of Tehran’s District 3, home to approximately 300,000 residents, but also the IRIB. The deliberate targeting of media outlets is considered a war crime, as is the deliberate targeting of civilians, which the Israeli defense forces have repeatedly done in the past 5 days. Numerous residential areas have been hit since the start of Israel’s attack, which has led to mass civilian displacement, psychological trauma, and hundreds of injuries.
Images of some of these victims, all ordinary citizens, are being widely shared on Iranian social media, from a young poet, by the name Parnia Abbasi, who lost her life along with her entire family and neighbors on the very first night of the attacks on Patrice Lumumba Street in Tehran, to another young woman, Zahra Shams, who now only exists as a Twitter account.
A photo of a child taekwondo athlete, Amir Ali Amini, in his sports uniform is circulating online, among other children killed as a result of airstrikes. Iranians are outraged by the rising death toll. An Israeli airstrike targeted Shahid Chamran Nobonyad residential complex in Iran’s capital Tehran on Friday, killing at least 60 people, including 20 children, according to state media. Some are reportedly still under rubble.
Many Iranian journalists mourned the death of one of their colleagues. Saleh Bayrami, who was a graphic designer working with numerous print and online publications, was killed on June 16, 2025, in Tehran’s Tajrish Square while sitting in his car behind a red light. Tajrish Square is a busy shopping area, with vegetable markets, small shops, including a busy bazaar, and many residential apartment buildings. It is especially crowded during the days when people flock to markets to purchase food and other staples. The target of the Israeli Military was the local municipality, where local government workers (not military personnel) provide essential services and ordinary citizens go to conduct their daily business. The bombing of Tajrish square, during a busy time of day, has not only left scores injured and killed, but it has left 1000’s of north Tehran residents without water for days. These accounts comprise further irrefutable evidence that Israel is targeting ordinary Iranians, intending to create maximum damage, inflict harm, and promote chaos.
These strikes are by no means targeting nuclear facilities or military personnel. Even the strikes against military commanders and personnel were carried out to inflict maximum damage and pain, as they took place in the middle of the night, while these men were sleeping in their homes with their wives and children. Their homes, which were targets, were often in huge apartment buildings where ordinary citizens also reside. Some of these strikes were so massive that they also injured and killed ordinary citizens in adjacent buildings and destroyed numerous apartments.
Missing and Mourned: Journalists, Civil Servants and Ordinary Citizens Stepping up to Help in the Aftermath of Indiscriminate Violence
Local newspapers and journalists have been documenting the heartbreaking aftermath of the indiscriminate violence unleashed on innocent Iranians. Families of the missing have gathered at Tehran’s main cemetery, searching for loved ones who were in the areas bombed by Israeli forces. A report by Shargh Newspaper described scenes of grieving mothers, anxious children, and shell-shocked relatives desperately seeking information—some clinging to hope, others already mourning.
Civil society actors have stepped up to help. Some have published critical information on how Iranians should care for themselves and their loved ones during these times. Others have published helpful guides on how to deal with trauma and prevent psychological harm to children in these times of extreme stress and anxiety. Journalists are especially critical in these times of crisis, as they not only share crucial information about safety issues with the public but also document developments at significant cost to themselves. WHRDs and journalists, Nilofar Hamedi and Elahe Mohammadi, who were arrested for their coverage of the Mahsa Jina Amini death in police custody and funeral in Saqqez, have been actively documenting the stories of families killed and injured by Israel’s illegal war on Iran. Video recordings by emergency responders providing information about how Iranians can stay safe during these times of crisis circulate widely on social media, while ordinary Iranians have opened up their homes to those needing to flee bombings or who have lost their homes, on JaabaMa, an online housing platform similar to Airbnb. A beautiful video of a violinist playing music amidst the sound of nightly bombing has also circulated on the internet, demonstrating the unbreakable spirit of Iranians, who have chosen to care for one another in these horrific times.
Displacement and Fear: Tehran Under Siege
Following repeated Israeli airstrikes on Tehran, thousands of residents have begun fleeing the capital, heading toward the northern and southern provinces in search of safety. Highways are now congested with families escaping the escalating violence, many carrying only basic belongings, uncertain of when they can return home. Some are sharing what may be their last photo of home before leaving—holding on to the hope that soon, they will be able to return.
On Sunday evening, June 16th, the Israeli government reportedly issued a directive calling on residents of District 3 in Tehran to evacuate their homes. The situation escalated further when, in the early hours of Monday morning, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social account: “The people of Tehran should evacuate the city immediately.”
The Israelis later also issued another evacuation order for residents in District 18, which is a less affluent area, where many vulnerable and internal migrants and Afghans reside. Given the movement restrictions on Afghan migrants, especially those who do not have legal status, it is almost impossible for them to leave. This area is also home to many working children who must support their families.
The messages on evacuation spread rapidly on social media, sparking widespread fear, confusion, and anger. Many Iranians wondered in anger about where the 10 million residents of Tehran (20 million for Tehran Province) should go in such a short period. Families of prisoners, particularly political prisoners, expressed deep fear for their incarcerated loved ones and urgently called for their release amid the critical situation.
Journalist Negin, reporting from Tehran, documented scenes of residents hurriedly leaving the city as strikes intensified.
“The third day of Israel’s attacks on #Iran:
In various parts of #Tehran, I saw dozens of people leaving with suitcases in hand.
One woman was taking her bird out of the city with her.
The subway is packed with people trying to leave the city after today’s attacks on innocent civilians.”
Voices from Inside: The Silenced Majority
While some opposition voices in exile have portrayed this war as an opportunity for regime change—encouraging continued Israeli strikes—the narrative from inside Iran is starkly different.
Most activists, journalists, and social media users do not see this as a war against the Islamic Republic, but a war against the people of Iran. And yet, their voices are rarely heard in international media.
An Iranian woman wrote on Instagram:
“My home is under attack by Israel.
Not nuclear sites, not just military zones.
My neighborhood, my friend’s neighborhoods, and countless civilians are being targeted.
I cannot stand with you if you think this is the path to freedom.
If you believe the lies of mainstream media, you are not standing with the people.”
Another journalist, who was imprisoned during the “Woman, Life, Freedom” uprising, shared the following account:
“This is the view of our terrace—
The same terrace we carefully arranged after my release, to forget the days of sorrow with friends.
Now, red stains fill the sky.
Our cat hasn’t slept in three days.
We sit in horror, haunted by sirens.
And amid all this, we must still report the war and confront the cruelty of war supporters.
Damn Israel, and all those responsible for this devastation.”
Infrastructure Collapse
As Israel continues its strikes on critical infrastructure—including nuclear facilities, oil refineries, fuel storage sites, airports, hospitals, and water systems—fear and uncertainty have deepened across the country. These attacks on civilians and infrastructure raise serious concerns under international humanitarian law, which prohibits the targeting of objects indispensable to the survival of the civilian population.
The destruction has left many Iranians expressing despair over the long-term consequences.
One user on X (formerly Twitter) wrote:
“I asked ChatGPT how many years it would take to rebuild an oil refinery.”
The remark, tinged with dark humor, reflects a growing sense of hopelessness among civilians about the future of their country’s economy and infrastructure.
One user described how infrastructure is systematically being destroyed:
“Israel is bombing Tehran in the most populated residential areas. They are targeting water systems, telecom towers, and transportation hubs. You don’t see this reflected in international media. Please share!”
Internet Restrictions
From the earliest hours of Israel’s airstrikes, the Iranian government began restricting internet access across the country. Authorities claimed the disruptions were necessary to mitigate cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. On the night of June 17, the restrictions escalated further: the government almost completely shut down access to the global internet, allowing only the state-controlled national intranet to function.
This move has drawn sharp criticism from activists, journalists, and ordinary citizens. Many have called on the government to restore full internet access, arguing that people have a right to document and share the real story of the war, one in which civilians, not just military targets, are under attack.
In the absence of international coverage, Iranians are also demanding that the government allow foreign media into the country to report independently from the ground and to challenge the dominant narrative being pushed by Israel in the global arena.
Psychological Impact:
As with other wars and armed conflicts, living under bombardment, being forced to flee one’s home, and enduring prolonged fear and uncertainty have left many Iranians grappling with severe psychological distress. Reports from inside the country show a sharp rise in anxiety, panic attacks, and trauma-related symptoms.
According to a report by Ham-Mihan newspaper, the number of people seeking emergency psychiatric care in Tehran has significantly increased over the past five days. A psychiatrist at Roozbeh Psychiatric and Psychotherapy Hospital in Tehran confirmed: “Some have come in with fear, agitation, anxiety, panic attacks—and others with suicidal thoughts.”
The emotional toll is especially severe among children and parents. One mother shared on Instagram:
“Tonight, it took me hours to calm my eleven-year-old and reassure him that we will stay alive. He cried himself to sleep. I will never forgive those who pushed for this war.”
A Call to Human Rights and Feminist Organizations
This is not a war on a government—it is a war on a people. We urge international human rights and feminist organizations to ensure that they reflect what happened as opposed to the official false narrative of the Israeli Forces, which unfortunately is being parroted by the media and Western governments. This was an illegal and unwarranted attack on Iran, and has little, if anything, to do with Iran’s nuclear program, on which Iranians and the US were engaged in negotiations.
We ask that you:
- Condemn all attacks on civilians, regardless of political context.
- Call for an immediate ceasefire and pressure your governments to push Israel to cease its attack on Iran. The Iranian authorities have repeatedly said that they are willing to end military action if Israel commits to doing the same. International pressure and sanctions on Israel will force it to enter a ceasefire.
- Pressure your governments to condemn Israel for its unwarranted and illegal attack against Iran. Pressure your government to hold Israel accountable for its numerous and continuous violations of human rights, including its continued genocide against Palestinians.
- Pressure your governments to end their military and financial support for Israel.
- Amplify the stories of Iranian women and children, especially those killed or injured.
- Push for independent investigations into attacks on non-military targets, including hospitals and residential buildings.
- Recognize the right of Iranians to life and safety, free from the narrative of geopolitical proxy wars.
- Provide support to the most vulnerable groups in Iran, including women and children, as their urgent needs are heightened by the current war and the severe challenges in delivering humanitarian aid to the country.