Panic, fury, and a few hope, in Iran as U.S. launches strikes : NPR

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AP AMMAN, Jordan — In Tehran, panicked residents rushed house to shelter and terrified youngsters poured out of lecture rooms as U.S. air strikes hit the capitol, Iranians reached by telephone informed NPR.

The Iranian authorities stated one of many missiles hit a woman's elementary college in Minab metropolis in Iran's southern Hormozgan province, killing at the very least 53 college students.

"They've hit many targets round me and we hear fighter jets and missiles exploding," stated a resident in Western Tehran reached by telephone earlier than communications had been reduce in Iran. "Individuals had been panicking and attempting to get to their properties," she stated. "Youngsters are operating out of college."

Talking on situation of anonymity resulting from fears of arrest, she stated there had been no warning from the Iranian authorities of a possible assault and other people had been caught unprepared. The airstrikes hit on the primary day of Iran's work week whereas many had been at work or in class.

Iran responded to the assaults by launching strikes in opposition to Israel and U.S. bases within the Gulf.

It declared that following the airstrikes in Iran early Saturday, it thought-about all U.S. and Israeli pursuits and belongings within the area professional targets.

"Our nation's armed forces will train America and Israel an enormous lesson," stated Brigadier Common Abolfazl Shekarchi, spokesman for the navy normal workers.

The Bahraini authorities stated an Iranian airstrike had hit the U.S. naval base in Bahrain which is house to the U.S. Fifth Fleet. The United Arab Emirates, one other U.S. ally, stated it intercepted Iranian missiles. It stated shrapnel from one of many intercepted missiles killed a nationwide of an unspecified Asian nation in Abu Dhabi.

In Jordan, a number of explosions believed to be missiles being intercepted had been heard together with the sound of fighter jets. The Jordanian navy stated its forces had shot down two ballistic missiles.

Iran's overseas ministry stated the U.S. and Israeli airstrikes had hit protection infrastructure and civilian websites throughout Iran.

It famous that Tehran had been in the course of diplomatic negotiations with the U.S. geared toward stopping struggle when it was hit and known as for the UN safety council to satisfy instantly to debate the assaults.

Oman's overseas minister, who mediated the U.S.-Iran oblique talks on Thursday flew to Washington on Friday to temporary U.S. officers, saying he believed that they had made progress within the negotiations.

U.S. President Trump, in asserting that 'main fight operations' had began, urged Iranians to stand up.

"Once we are completed, take over your authorities. Will probably be yours to take. This will probably be in all probability your solely probability for generations," he stated in a video deal with.

Israel had pressed the U.S. to assault Iran whereas most U.S. Arab allies had cautioned in opposition to it, saying it may destabilize your entire area.

In Tehran, one other resident, Roxanna, whom NPR spoke with throughout Israel's 12-day struggle with Iran final June stated she and others who've protested in opposition to the Iranian regime had been much less afraid than they had been then.

"We're actually hopeful that the regime will fall this time," she stated, talking from central Tehran. "We've saved meals and can look ahead to now."

The extent of assist for the regime inside Iran stays tough to gauge following the most recent Iranian crackdown on protest through which 1000's of Iranians had been killed. A lot of the casualties had been protestors shot by safety forces.

There is no such thing as a clear successor to Iran's Islamic management, with opposition teams divided and regarded to don't have any giant bases of assist inside the nation.