Stunning scenes as citizens secretly rejoice over deaths of top commanders while masses flee Tehran in panic
In extraordinary scenes that signal the potential collapse of Iran’s 46-year-old Islamic regime, Iranian citizens have been caught on camera thanking “Uncle Netanyahu” for killing their own government’s leaders, as Israel’s devastating strikes enter their fourth day.
“When I heard the news I lost my control and was shouting, thanking Netanyahu for killing these criminals,” Zahra, a 50-year-old woman near Tehran, told NPR. “We have not heard any good national news for many years. For once one news made us slightly happy.
The stunning revelations come as Israel’s “Operation Rising Lion” has decimated Iran’s military leadership and nuclear facilities, leaving at least 224 dead in Iran and sparking a mass exodus from Tehran.
‘Beginning of the End’
According to reports from Iran International, bystanders were heard urging protests to overthrow the government and calling for Israel to continue the strikes – even targeting Supreme Leader Khamenei himself.
I think this is the beginning of the end,” said Touraj, a 50-year-old photographer from Rasht, expressing hope that the strikes could lead to the collapse of the regime’s rule.
In a symbolic gesture, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu echoed the Iranian protesters’ chant of “Woman, Life, Freedom” – the rallying cry of anti-regime demonstrations.
Long lines of cars appeared outside gas stations across Tehran on Sunday as terrified residents tried to flee the capital. The regime has responded by announcing nationwide internet restrictions, a classic sign of panic as authorities try to prevent coordination of protests.
Operation Rising Lion
Israel’s unprecedented assault – the largest attack on Iran since the Iran-Iraq War of the 1980s – has systematically targeted the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program and military leadership.
The strikes destroyed the Natanz nuclear facility and damaged Isfahan’s uranium conversion facility, with the IDF claiming Iran was just days away from producing up to 15 nuclear weapons.
Intelligence in recent months has shown that Iran is closer than ever to obtaining a nuclear weapon,” IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effie Defrin declared.
Israeli F-35 fighter jets, supported by drones smuggled into Iran by Mossad operatives, launched five waves of strikes using more than 200 aircraft to drop over 330 munitions on about 100 targets.
Top Commanders Eliminated
In a devastating blow to Iran’s military leadership, Israeli strikes killed:
- Major General Hossein Salami, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps
- Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff
- General Mohammad Kazemi, head of IRGC intelligence
- Nuclear scientists Fereydoon Abbasi and Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi
- Multiple other senior commanders and officials
Prime Minister Netanyahu boasted in a Fox News interview that Israel had successfully “got” the top commanders in Tehran.
Iranian Retaliation
Despite the celebrations by some citizens, Iran’s government launched what it dubbed “Operation Severe Punishment,” with missiles breaking through Israel’s Iron Dome defence system.
The strikes hit:
- Central Tel Aviv, where 21 were injured
- The Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, injuring 42
- Residential buildings in Bat Yam, killing civilians
- Multiple targets across northern Israel
Iranian missiles are successful in penetrating all layers of Israel’s air defense systems,” said analyst Trita Parsi, noting Iran’s ability to regroup despite losing its top commanders.
Trump Vetoes Assassination
In a dramatic revelation, President Donald Trump vetoed an Israeli plan to assassinate Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei, with U.S. officials saying the administration feared it would inflame the conflict beyond control.
“Have the Iranians killed an American yet? No. Until they do we’re not even talking about going after the political leadership,” a senior U.S. official told Reuters.
Netanyahu, when asked about the veto, cryptically responded: “We do what we need to do, and I think the United States knows what is good for the United States.”
Tehran Burns
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz had warned before the Iranian retaliation: “If Khamenei continues to fire missiles at the Israeli home front — Tehran will burn.
After Israel’s expanded assault, Katz followed up with a post simply stating: “Tehran is burning.
Images from the Iranian capital showed massive fires at oil facilities, with the Shahran oil depot engulfed in flames and the South Pars gas field – the world’s largest – partially shut down after Israeli strikes.
Civilian Casualties Mount
The human toll has been devastating:
- In Tehran, a 14-storey apartment block collapsed after being hit by an Israeli missile, killing 60 people including 29 children
- Israeli strikes on residential areas killed entire families as “collateral damage
- Iranian missiles destroyed homes in Tel Aviv and Haifa, forcing thousands into bomb shelters
- Hospitals on both sides report being overwhelmed with casualties
Opposition Rises
Exiled opposition figures including Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi and activist Masih Alinejad have expressed support for overthrowing the regime amid the fighting, with some backing Israel’s strikes.
The U.S.-based National Iranian American Council condemned the attacks, but voices inside Iran tell a different story – one of hope that after 46 years, the Islamic Republic’s grip on power may finally be breaking.
Nuclear Talks Cancelled
The escalation has derailed diplomatic efforts, with Iran cancelling nuclear negotiations that were scheduled with the U.S. in Oman on Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said holding talks was “unjustifiable” while Israel’s “barbarous” attacks continued.
Trump, however, remained optimistic, posting on Truth Social: “Iran and Israel should make a deal, and will make a deal” – though he later acknowledged “sometimes they have to fight it out.
What’s Next?
As dawn broke on Monday, the Iranian regime appeared increasingly isolated and vulnerable:
- Israel warned Iranian civilians to evacuate areas near weapons facilities
- The IDF said it was conducting fresh strikes on surface-to-surface missile sites
- Iran’s new temporary IRGC commander threatened continued attacks
- International leaders called for restraint but appeared powerless to stop the escalation
With Netanyahu vowing Israeli planes will soon fly “above the skies of Tehran” and Iranian citizens openly calling for their own government’s downfall, the Islamic Republic faces its gravest existential threat since its founding in 1979.
For many Iranians secretly celebrating the regime’s losses, fear is now mixed with hope that change may finally be coming to Iran – delivered, ironically, by their supposed enemy’s bombs.
Image credit:
Seyyed Ali Khamenei – Leader of Iran by akkasemosalman.ir, licensed under CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
