On Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) released audio of a civilian in Tehran describing the on – the – ground situation as rocks Iran.
“For us here, the war didn’t start four days ago. It began when we first heard the news about the build – up of forces in the region and the preparations for war. Now, with the war ongoing, we keep hearing constant explosions, and there’s no break from it,” the unnamed civilian stated.
The civilian mentioned that the high frequency of explosions has made people so jittery that even ordinary noises can trigger panic attacks.
“At any moment, you can expect a loud noise. This has made us so nervous that any loud noise, even the sound of a passing car, gives us a panic attack,” the civilian said.
Even with the noise of the explosions, the civilian, who claimed to have been born and raised in Tehran, noticed that the city had turned into a ghost town as people either fled the war or restricted their movements to stay safe from aerial attacks.
“As someone who was born and has lived his entire life in this city, I’ve never seen it this quiet,” the civilian said. “Some of the city’s residents have left. Many others stayed and are trying to limit their movements to avoid being caught in the never – ending aerial attacks on the city. You don’t see many people around. My city used to be a large and busy one. I’m not accustomed to seeing it so calm and quiet.”
Since the operation started on Saturday, the U.S. and Israel have carried out air and sea attacks on Iran. According to , the operation has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran. Additionally, six U.S. service members in Kuwait were killed during the hostilities.
The ICRC has expressed concerns about the and the organization’s president said on the first day of Operation Epic Fury that it could have “devastating consequences for civilians.”
“The military escalation in the is setting off a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.
In a statement issued a few days later, Spoljaric warned that “the scale of major military operations flaring up across the Middle East risks dragging the region — and beyond — into another large – scale armed conflict that will overwhelm any humanitarian response.”
“Without urgent steps to de – escalate the situation and respect the rules of war, more civilian lives will be lost,” Spoljaric added. “Civilians are already bearing the brunt of the war.”
According to the civilian, Iranians on the ground are worried about the future and are wondering how the war will unfold. Another concern among the people is the possibility of supplies running out.
“The supplies are available in the open and operating shops. But what if the situation worsens or stays the same? Will the stocked supplies be of any use, or will they be useless in the face of what might happen?” the civilian wondered.
“It’s especially more worrying for people like me, who have to take care of those with medical complications that need special attention. We’re under a lot of stress, anxious about what’s to come.”
Digital contacted the ICRC for comment.