Tehran: A wave of fear, frustration, and uncertainty swept across Iran on Friday as Israeli airstrikes rattled several cities, including the sensitive nuclear site of Natanz. As explosions shattered the night, many Iranians expressed dread over what may come next, with some preparing to flee the country, and others calling for retaliation.

“I was jolted awake by a massive blast. People ran out of their homes screaming in fear,” recounted Marziyeh, 39, a resident of Natanz a city now etched into global headlines due to its central role in Iran’s nuclear program. “My children’s safety is my only concern now,” she said, her voice reflecting the unease felt across the nation.

With Israel vowing to continue its operation “for as many days as it takes,” many believe a wider confrontation is imminent. Israeli authorities claim their strikes targeted key facilities linked to nuclear development, missile production, and military command an attempt to prevent Iran from achieving nuclear weapons capability. Tehran insists its nuclear ambitions are peaceful.

Panic rippled through cities. Banks witnessed long queues as people rushed to withdraw money. In Shiraz, Masoud Mousavi, a retired banker, stood in line at an exchange bureau hoping to convert his savings into Turkish Lira. “The airspace is closed, but I’m taking my family to Turkey by land. We’ve had enough of war,” he said.

Despite decades of political turbulence from the 1979 Revolution to the Iran-Iraq war, to economic isolation and social repression Friday’s events renewed a collective anxiety among citizens. Yet reactions were far from uniform. While some denounced the violence and pleaded for peace, others saw the attack as a potential trigger for political change.

A resident of Tehran, though critical of Iran’s leadership, declared that retaliation was the only viable response. “If we don’t strike back, we risk losing everything even our missiles. This is no time for silence,” he said angrily.

In Tabriz, 64-year-old Fariba Besharati, a retired schoolteacher, offered a more sobering view. “We’ve already endured so much. I understand the need to defend the country, but when will this end? Haven’t ordinary people paid enough of a price?”

The economic toll of years-long sanctions and domestic mismanagement continues to crush ordinary lives. Many, like Mohammadreza, a young teacher in Chalus, now question whether Iran’s nuclear aspirations are worth the mounting costs. “We wanted peaceful nuclear energy. But what we’re facing now air raids, fear, and more hardship is too high a price,” he said.

In Tehran and other cities, security forces were visibly deployed on Friday, as authorities prepared for potential unrest. Recent years have seen widespread protests fueled by economic hardship and public outrage, such as those following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody in 2022 a moment that galvanized resistance against Iran’s moral policing.

Yet, the state’s grip remains strong, bolstered by loyal militias and security forces. In Qom, Ali, the son of a war martyr and a member of the Basij paramilitary force, declared his unwavering allegiance. “I will die defending our right to a nuclear future. Israel and America will not dictate our destiny,” he said over the phone.

As the dust settles from the initial attacks, Iran’s people face an uncertain path forward one shaped by decades of struggle, a fragile economy, and now, the looming specter of another war.