Iran-Israel Tensions Escalate: World Leaders Speak Out, Citizens Fear

Experts analyzing the situation have voiced concerns about Israel's potential response to the weekend's drone and missile attacks, cautioning that both sides might rapidly escalate into a perilous exchange.

General Hossein Salami, commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, declared on state television that Tehran has adopted "a new equation," where any Israeli assault on its "interests, assets, officials, or citizens will be met with a response from within its own territory."

General Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the Iranian armed forces' chief of staff, warned that Iran's retaliation to any Israeli counterstrike would surpass its previous military actions significantly.

A mural unveiled in Tehran's Palestine Square with the phrase "The next slap will be harsher" in Persian and Hebrew underscores the government's position.

Hamed Mohammadi, an Iranian journalist living in Berlin, explained to DW that Iran's military actions aim to showcase its strength following this month's attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, which resulted in the deaths of seven high-ranking officers. Tehran has blamed Israeli forces for the attack.

"Anti-Israeli sentiments are deep-rooted in the Islamic Republic's identity. This stance is progressively heightening regional tensions," Mohammadi observed. "The recent escalation signifies a new phase, effectively signaling to Israel that it may take more aggressive steps, even on Iranian soil."

On Sunday, DW's Persian edition journalists noted widespread social media posts depicting long queues at gas stations, as Iranians braced for a sharp rise in fuel prices. People crowded into supermarkets, stocking up on essentials like rice and bread, while the Iranian currency, the rial, plummeted to an all-time low against the dollar.

Soroush Mozaffar Moghadam, a writer and analyst of Iranian affairs who left Iran after anti-government protests began in 2022, spent hours communicating with people inside Iran via social networks following the attack. He reported widespread confusion, fear, anxiety, and indecision among the population.

"The individuals I spoke with expressed concerns about the repercussions of Israel's military action against Iran, pessimism about the future, and a sense of uncertainty," he said, noting that most do not support the Islamic Republic's official stance but feel helpless to effect change.

"A young man I conversed with highlighted his bleak outlook for the future, believing that the majority feel they have no sway over their government's aggressive policies," Moghadam shared.