Fear grips Iranians: Many are fleeing Tehran because of the Israel conflict

Fear grips Iranians: Many are fleeing Tehran because of the Israel conflict

Fear has gripped many Iranians as Israel continues to attack the Islamic Republic. Particularly in larger cities, including the capital Tehran, many people are looking for safer places and leaving their homes.

Fear and chaos in Tehran

A resident of Saadat Abad, a wealthy neighborhood in northern Tehran affected by the Israeli attacks, reported hearing explosions throughout the night, some so powerful that the entire apartment building shook. Like many other Iranians who spoke to CNN, the resident requested anonymity out of concern for his safety.

The resident said chaos reigned as residents ran into the street in panic due to the smell of smoke coming from a nearby building, which was also the target of the attacks. Families with small children had difficulty keeping the little ones calm.

Lack of shelters

Unlike Israel, Tehran has no modern bunkers. The city is forced to resort to tunnels, basements or older shelters from the Iran-Iraq war of the 1980s, when the country faced a similar national emergency.

“There are no shelters in Tehran, people go to basement rooms,” Mehdi Chamran, head of the Tehran City Council, told reporters. He added that the subway could be used as a shelter “in extreme crises,” but the system would have to be shut down to do so.

Emergency response and evacuations

The subway in Tehran will be open around the clock from Sunday evening to offer people protection, a government spokesman announced. Schools and mosques will also be open.

Elderly people in the building in Saadat Abad compare the fearful atmosphere to the eight-year war against Iraq, when Iraqi forces invaded western Iran.

Iranian experts said that by attacking residential areas in Iran, Israel had "crossed the Rubicon" - the point of return - and was inviting attacks of the same kind from Tehran.

Resistance to attacks

“We do not support the Iranian regime, but we are against Israeli attacks on residential areas and civilians,” said an elderly Tehran resident. “If Israel is against Iran’s nuclear program and military capabilities, they should target these areas and not create a situation similar to what happened in Gaza.”

Israel has destroyed large swaths of Palestinian territory and displaced almost all of Gaza's population in its war against Hamas, an Iranian ally.

Despite fears of an escalating war, daily life in Tehran continues to be normal for many. Grocery store shelves are stocked and scheduled meetings are taking place. Nevertheless, the shadow of the conflict remains ever present. Drivers face long queues at gas stations and the amount of gasoline that can be purchased is limited to 25 liters. ATMs work, but some have limits on the amount that can be withdrawn.

Escape from the capital

Many people leaving Tehran move north, near the Caspian Sea, to a more rural and isolated area. However, residents report that the streets are so congested that movement is difficult.

A family who wished to remain anonymous decided to leave Tehran with their two small children and elderly parents. They are concerned that the government has placed officials and military leaders in densely populated neighborhoods, putting civilians at risk.

“I don’t want to leave my home, but I won’t put my young children in this situation,” the father said. “I hope that the US will intervene to stop the attacks between the two countries.”

Supply in Shiraz

In the city of Shiraz, in south-central Iran, long queues form at gas stations. Residents are stocking up on food, water and diapers.

Cars full of families with suitcases and water boxes on the roof can be seen in the city, with many families preferring to flee to the surrounding area.

Quieter nights in Tehran

According to residents, the nights in Tehran have become very quiet. Many businesses are closed and many people have either left town or are afraid to go to work.

Israel's military operation against Iran is expected to last "weeks, not days" and is being carried out with the tacit approval of the US, according to White House and Israeli officials. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to hit “every location and every target of the Ayatollah regime.”

Call for resistance

In a rare one direct address to the Iranian people Netanyahu called on Friday to “stand up and make your voice heard” after Israel launched devastating attacks on its regional adversary.

“The time has come for the Iranian people to unite around their flag and their historical legacy by standing up for their freedom from an evil and oppressive regime,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

The Iranian regime remains unpopular at home, where security forces continue to crack down on dissidents. Nevertheless, the Israeli leader's call went unheeded.

Many of those CNN spoke to did not want to be quoted, even anonymously, but no one expressed support for Netanyahu's call for resistance.

"Israel underestimates our love for our country; the idea that bombing us, destroying our homes and killing our children would drive us to the streets is shocking. We want to live in peace regardless of how we feel about the regime," said a 36-year-old man who wished to remain anonymous.

Some Iranians expressed their displeasure and stressed that they would never bow to Netanyahu's demands.

"Do I wish the regime wasn't in power? Absolutely. Do I want my city to be bombed by another dictator? Absolutely not," said Neda, a 28-year-old woman.

"Don't let the fake news fool you, the reality of what is happening in Iran is that Israel is not helping our people in any way. I don't need fake news and propaganda speeches," she added.

Iran has threatened to step up its own retaliatory attacks if Israel continues hostilities.

Over 200 rocket launches from Iran were reported overnight into Sunday, the Israeli government said, killing at least 13 people in Israel, including three children.

Unofficial reports from Iran's state-affiliated media say dozens have been killed and injured in the country by the Israeli strikes. The Iranian authorities have not yet released an official number of victims.