Inside Iran, panic as strikes hit but for some it's a moment of relief

24 minutes agoRobert GreenallBBC NewsGetty ImagesMany residents have begun heading north from TehranVideos circulating on social media show people near the blast sites running in panic, with the sounds of screams and crying in the background.But, says BBC Persian, at the same time there appears to be a sense of relief - even celebration - among those who believe the regime's downfall can only come through military intervention.In one video, a woman speaks with unmistakable relief, saying Ayatollah Khamenei's residence has been hit. Another clip shows teenagers at a school dancing and chanting that the strikes have happened, adding, "I love Trump."Many people had been anticipating a possible US attack. Since Friday night, long queues have formed at petrol stations, and many residents of the capital, Tehran, have begun leaving the city for the north, near the Caspian Sea, which they believe is safer.With Iran coming under an almost total internet blackout since the attacks started, it has been difficult to contact anyone inside the country. Some people briefly managed to access the internet using methods such as SpaceX's Starlink satellite internet and virtual private networks, and may be able to do so again.Getty ImagesPeople in Iran are trying to find out news of the attacks amid an internet blackoutThe BBC has, however, been able to reach a number of pro-regime figures who spoke about the situation in Tehran."We have heard lots of explosions. I live in middle of Tehran," one of them told BBC Newshour. "This was a normal day until the United States and Israel started attacking the city. Our children have gone to a school in the morning. We had to go and get the children."Another told the BBC Weekend programme he heard fighter jets and two explosions early in the morning from his office in the north of the city. The atmosphere was tense and there was a sense of war in the air.He said that people were shopping and stocking up on canned food.One resident told BBC Persian via Starlink there was a heavy security presence on streets leading to the compound of the Leadership House, the office of Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.'Look after our children'Before the blackout, some people posted messages on social media in case they were killed in air strikes."If I die, don't forget that we exist too - those of us who oppose any military attack, those of us who will become just a number in reports of the dead," one Iranian wrote on social media.Another wrote: "Damn the Islamic dictatorship that caused this war. We have already endured three wars."Some posts highlight the strain of communication and fear for children caught in the conflict: "The internet is almost down... If the network is completely cut, know that we are not soldiers for any leader, nor collateral damage," said another user. "We are human and have the right to live. Try to make our future democratic, not dependent on individuals."Another user wrote: "Promise that if anything happens to us, you will look after our children and be very, very kind to them. Tell them we did everything we could - we joined silent marches, we voted, we worked multiple shifts, we endured great hardship."Others, however, fear that air strikes alone may not bring about the regime's collapse. They worry it could survive and, in response, become even more brutal towards its own people.At the time of protests more than a month ago in which thousands were killed, US President Donald Trump had encouraged Iranians to continue protesting, vowing that help was on the way. Now, some Iranians report receiving text messages reading, "Help has come" - urging people to stay at home and calling on regime forces to lay down their arms.But public sentiment could shift sharply if civilians are killed in the strikes, with many Iranians reacting with anger after state media reported that an Israeli strike on a girls' school killed dozens of people. There is no confirmation.An Iranian living abroad who opposes military intervention in Iran commented: "The first victims of this war are 40 girls in Minab, hit by a missile attack. Is this the war you cheer for?"Deep mistrust of the Iranian regime, however, makes official reports difficult for many to accept, and some Iranians directly blamed the regime for the attack.One user wrote: "Even if the regime did not directly target schools, the deaths of children in Minab remain the responsibility of the Islamic Republic. "People have no shelters, the internet is cut, phone lines are down, and there has been no warning to keep children out of school. In these conditions, the minimum requirement should be to stay at home."