In a gripping exchange with The Daily Mail, Iranians conveyed desperate and urgent messages in the wake of U.S. and Israeli military strikes, capturing the intense fear and fleeting hope permeating the nation.

These communications, sent after the strikes targeted critical regime infrastructure, managed to break through the Islamic Republic’s nearly complete digital blockade.

The messages paint a vivid picture of a populace trapped between the precision strikes of foreign missiles and the harsh repression of their own government, all while trying to relay the realities they face on the ground.

One individual shared two videos with The Daily Mail, recorded near his residence close to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps headquarters in eastern Tehran.

The footage shows a thick column of smoke rising into the sky, a stark aftermath of a blast that sent birds fleeing in panic.

A second video, obtained exclusively, captures a woman’s frantic reaction to the ongoing devastation under an ominous grey sky.

‘Look at what they have just done. What a strong smell!’ she cries out in Farsi.

Meanwhile, messages from sent by an Iranian citizen who is currently in neighboring Yerevan, Armenia, and in direct contact with people on the ground in Iran, gives further insight into the immediate aftermath of the strikes.

Smoke rises on the skyline after an explosion in Tehran, Iran, in the wake of joint US and Israel strikes 

Messages that the Daily Mail exchanged with Iranians hours after Israel struck provide a harrowing window into the chaos currently gripping the country 

‘This is the beginning of an end,’ one Iranian source told the Daily Mail. They added that the population is now in a state of high alert, waiting for a signal from Exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah of Iran, to take to the streets and reclaim the country

These exchanges, maintained despite a near-total internet blackout, provide a first-hand account of a nation at a historic breaking point.

The sources report that both Iranian and Israeli media are circulating claims that Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Eje’i, the notorious Chief Justice of Iran, has been ‘eliminated.’

While these reports remain unverified, the impact of such a loss would be seismic.

Mohseni-Eje’i was the architect of the regime’s bloodstained judicial crackdown, largely responsible for the wave of death sentences handed to protesters throughout 2025-26.

‘We are glad that our killers are paying the price for the massacre,’ the Iranian tells the Daily Mail. ‘No one wants a war, but this is what the IRGC has always wanted.’

The most explosive reports suggest the very heart of the Islamic Republic has been torn out. Two separate sources inside Iran told the Daily Mail that the house of Supreme Leader Khamenei has been ‘completely obliterated,’ citing firsthand accounts from the ground.

There are also ‘growing indications’ according to Israeli media outlet Channel 12 that Khamenei was killed or badly injured in the first wave of strikes.

The Israeli outlet said unnamed Israeli sources had revealed there were ‘growing indications’ the leader had been killed during this morning’s air strikes or that he was ‘hurt at the very least’.

However, there are also reports coming from inside the country that Khamenei was sent outside the country in anticipation of military action. 

Such confusion is the reality in the foggy early hours of war.  

As the regime’s symbols of power start to crumble, Iranians say the spirit of revolution is once again flickering to life.

 Footage shows smoke billowing into the sky above a complex 

One Iranian sent messages and videos to the Daily Mail, showing two videos from near his home, where the headquarters of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is in east Tehran

Several messages sent by an Iranian citizen currently in Yerevan who is in direct contact with those on the ground reveal the immediate aftermath of the joint US and Israeli military strikes

Video shared online shows a group of high school students celebrating as plumes billowed into the sky behind them, with one boy heard praising the American president

‘This is the beginning of an end,’ one Iranian source told the Daily Mail. They added that the population is now in a state of high alert, waiting for a signal from exiled Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the former Shah of Iran, to take to the streets and reclaim the country.

Pahlavi is the only real opposition figure who has pledged to lead the transition in Iran. He resides in the suburbs of Washington DC but has been a strong voice for regime change and has helped build momentum for Iranians to take back their country.

Pahlavi has put out a video on his social media in response, asking Iranians to be safe in the meantime and stay tuned for his updates.

‘We must stay focused on our ultimate goal: reclaiming Iran. I ask you to remain in your homes for now and preserve your safety and security. Stay vigilant and ready so that, at the appropriate time—which I will announce to you precisely—you can return to the streets for the final action,’ Pahlavi said in a video message. 

While the skies burn, the Iranian people have been left to fend for themselves.

Iranian sources explain that the government has provided zero information on how to stay safe, with no guidance appearing on official channels.

Instead, citizens are relying on a clandestine online network. Those with a signal or those assisted by contacts in neighboring Middle Eastern countries are using a dedicated channel to coordinate, sharing vital intel on traffic gridlock in Tehran and tracking the movements of the security guards currently occupying the streets.

President Trump has sent his own direct message to the Iranian people, saying today after the strikes that this is the only real opportunity for the Iranian people to take back their country.

‘The hour of your freedom is at hand… when we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations,’ Trump said. ‘Let’s see how you respond. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force.’

An Iranian schoolboy was filmed shouting ‘I love Trump!’ as smoke rose over Tehran following US airstrikes on the capital.

Video shared online shows a group of high school students celebrating as plumes billowed into the sky behind them, with one boy heard praising the American president.

The footage emerged after the American president urged Iranians to use the US attacks as an opportunity to overthrow the country’s clerical regime.

Israelis run for cover after Iran unleashed retaliatory strikes in the country 

Smoke rises as the Israeli army carries out airstrikes on multiple locations in southern Lebanon

He told members of Iran’s security forces they would be granted ‘immunity’ if they laid down their arms, warning that those who refused would ‘face certain death’.

In early January, Trump threatened to bomb Iran as security forces cracked down on nationwide anti-government protests, killing at least 6,480 people, according to human rights activists.

He warned that those responsible would ‘pay a big price’ and told protesters that ‘help is on its way’.

The attack, dubbed Operation Epic Fury, targeted the offices of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – with a plume of thick grey smoke seen pouring from the building.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump told the Ayatollah to either ‘surrender or die’ as he announced the US had launched strikes across several cities in Iran. 

People run for cover following explosions in Tehran on Saturday 

A man looks on as a plume of smoke rises following a reported explosion in Tehran 

An Iranian schoolboy was filmed shouting ‘I love Trump!’ as smoke rose over Tehran following US airstrikes on the capital

He said: ‘To the members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, the armed forces and all of the police, I say tonight that you must lay down your weapons and have complete immunity.

‘Or in the alternative, face certain death. So, lay down your arms. You will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death.’ 

Iran said there would be a ‘crushing response’ with explosions rocking northern Israel shortly after 8am on Saturday morning.

Israel has warned its own citizens to prepare to take cover if the Iranians fight back, with sirens already being heard across the country.