In brief
As the conflict between Iran, the US, and Israel intensifies, residents of Tehran's Resalat district endure relentless strikes. Eyewitness accounts reveal the emotional toll on families affected by the destruction of their homes and loss of loved ones. The humanitarian crisis deepens, with calls for protection of civilians growing louder amidst escalating violence.
A mother stands by the rubble, crying out for her daughter. For days she has been waiting for rescue workers to dig through the flattened remains of what was once her daughter's flat in Resalat, a residential district in eastern Tehran.
They don't have the manpower to get her out, the woman says. My daughter is under the rubble... she's afraid of the dark. For a month, Iran has been at war with the US and Israel, which have been carrying out strikes across the country at targets linked to the regime. But these attacks are also having a devastating impact on civilians living nearby.
They are now being caught between bombardment from the skies and a repressive regime that responded to anti-establishment protests with a deadly crackdown in January. Since the start of the war, BBC Eye has gathered exclusive footage from independent journalists inside Tehran. The BBC is rarely allowed into Iran and has not been granted access since the war began.
Eyewitness testimony along with verified footage and analysis of satellite imagery illustrates the grave consequences of military actions occurring in densely populated areas. Initial reports indicate that a family lost two members when an Israeli air strike demolished their apartment building in Resalat, with secondary explosions complicating rescue efforts.
Civilian casualties are mounting, with Human Rights groups reporting significant numbers—including at least 217 children—as the military's operations continue unabated. Residents express fear, feeling vulnerable as strikes target neighborhoods without warning or adequate response measures by the Iranian government. The presence of powerful munitions, such as the Mark 84 bomb, has raised serious humanitarian concerns as international laws dictate the necessity of minimizing civilian harm in conflict zones.
At the heart of this turmoil, families continue to endure loss, heartbreak, and displacement, highlighting a dire need for humanitarian assistance amidst a situation that grows increasingly dire day by day.
