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Overnight strikes target Iranian fuel facilities
Residents of Tehran and the nearby city of Karaj described dramatic scenes after multiple oil depots were hit in coordinated attacks late Sunday, as the two-week US-Israeli offensive against Iran entered a new phase.
Eyewitness accounts of explosions and fires
One Karaj resident told the BBC the assault began with a blinding red flash that illuminated the entire area, followed by a powerful shockwave that rattled doors. "Then the sky lit up again and a massive red cloud appeared," he said. From his rooftop, he watched the local depot burn for hours.
A Tehran resident compared the blast to daylight breaking at midnight. Video footage verified by the BBC showed a street engulfed in flames near one depot, with a man shouting that nearby homes and shops were also on fire.
"Karaj was calm for a day but now it's turned wild again-they've blown it up."
Karaj resident, speaking to the BBC
Health warnings and public reaction
Iranian authorities issued urgent advisories for residents to remain indoors, citing hazardous smoke and airborne toxins from the burning fuel. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei warned the strikes were releasing "dangerous materials on a massive scale," endangering lives across the capital region.
A Tehran woman described a thick, acrid haze blanketing the city. "You can smell the burning. I can't see the sun. There's horrible smoke. It's still there-I'm very tired."
Despite the destruction, some Iranians expressed support for the strikes. A young man in Tehran told the BBC he and others were sheltering at home, "eagerly awaiting the destruction of the government so we can take to the streets like we did before."
"Iranians aren't warmongers or foolish-they've just suffered so much that they've reached their limit, and all they want is a normal life."
Tehran resident, speaking to the BBC
Escalating conflict and succession
The attacks began after the assassination of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, with his son Mojtaba named as successor. US President Donald Trump defended the strikes, citing an "imminent threat" from Iran's nuclear program, which Tehran maintains is peaceful.
Iran's UN Ambassador Amir Saeid Iravani reported at least 1,332 civilian deaths and thousands injured since the offensive began. Iran has retaliated with strikes on US allies and assets across the region.
Uncertainty over post-war future
While some Iranians see the conflict as a necessary cost to remove the regime, others fear the consequences if the government survives. "Even if the war ends and we survive alive, I'm sure the costs will be very high and it will be worse than before for a long time," said one Tehran woman. "I can't even tell who would take power."
State television has warned that anyone expressing support for the US, Israel, or Reza Pahlavi-the exiled son of Iran's last shah-faces execution.
