‘Our hearts were shaking’: Tehran endures night of heavy Israel, US bombing

Tehran experienced one of its most intense nights of bombardment by the United States and Israel since the start of the war 10 days ago, with warplanes flying at low altitudes over the city and dropping dozens of heavy explosives that shook neighbourhoods across the city of more than 10 million people and frightened residents who remained in their homes.

“Tehran, Iran – The Iranian capital has experienced one of its most intense nights of bombardment by the United States and Israel since the start of the war 10 days ago as numerous areas of the sprawling city have been hit to devastating effect”

Al Jazeera

Residents reported bright flashes of light that briefly turned night into day and online videos showed blue flashes consistent with damage to power generation outposts.

Al Jazeera

Electricity was cut in some areas of Tehran but the government said power was restored within hours.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Tuesday would be “our most intense day of strikes inside Iran”, and local media reported that cities like Isfahan and Karaj were also targeted during the day.

Residents described fear, makeshift sheltering and scarce information as official civil-defence measures were absent; Sima*, a 38-year-old in western Tehran, said the ground, windows and their hearts were shaking and they took shelter in their bathroom, while Alireza, 25, said he kept his front door unlocked to run to his building’s underground parking because Tehran lacks official shelters and early warning systems.

Some residents went to rooftops or balconies to watch and record footage despite the danger, and videos circulated online as people tried to learn what areas were hit amid an internet shutdown.

Al Jazeera

Authorities said a large number of residential areas, hospitals, schools and historical sites have been damaged by the US and Israel and have called for action from the international community to confront civilian harm.

Journalists have been allowed access but reporting from streets or impact sites requires government permits and the judiciary has warned of prosecution for people recording footage of the war without permission.

The theocratic establishment has imposed a near-total nationwide internet blackout for an 11th day, leaving only an intranet of local services and keeping the flow of information under state control, while the global internet monitor NetBlocks said the blackout “is now among the most severe government-imposed nationwide internet shutdowns on record globally”, second only to a 20-day shutdown during January protests.

“Tehran, Iran – The Iranian capital has experienced one of its most intense nights of bombardment by the United States and Israel since the start of the war 10 days ago as numerous areas of the sprawling city have been hit to devastating effect”

Al Jazeera

Fatemeh Mohajerani told reporters the government was whitelisting “those who can help get the voice out” but did not elaborate, and people reported that virtual private networks and proxy connections were sold on the black market only to be hunted down and shut off after short periods.

Iranian authorities have been jamming satellite connections to foreign-based Persian-language television networks and some citizens reported disruptions in GPS and radio signals in Tehran.

As heavily armed paramilitary Basij forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps set up checkpoints across Tehran and the country and congregate in mosques and main city squares, the judiciary warned that people who send videos of strikes to foreign-based media will be severely punished and said private property of foreign-based Iranians who oppose the establishment will be confiscated.

Despite the strikes and restrictions, some economic activity continued on a reduced scale: shopkeepers in downtown Tehran ran limited operations, some taxi drivers and motorcycle couriers worked, and car washes were busy after Israel’s targeting of Tehran’s major fuel reserves and oil facilities created hazardous oil-laden rain.

There were still considerable queues at many petrol stations and the Grand Bazaar saw only short openings with fewer customers, as residents restricted travel and short commutes to buy essentials.

Al Jazeera

The government said it is seeking to maximise imports of food, medicine and other essentials through bartering and emergency mechanisms ahead of Nowruz on March 20 and said negotiations with the US are off the table.

State-affiliated outlets said authorities staved off a large number of significant cyberattacks during the war and that brief disruptions to state-run Bank Melli and Bank Sepah were quickly fixed early on Tuesday, while Iran continues to struggle with an inflation rate of about 70 percent that is squeezing millions.