Tensions between Israel and Iran reached a critical point this week as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a warning to residents of Tehran, urging them to leave the capital amid a surge in Israeli airstrikes.
His message came as part of a wider escalation that has driven thousands of Iranians to flee the city in scenes of mounting panic.
Netanyahu’s stark message, issued on Monday, followed a weekend of Israeli military retaliation after Iranian missile attacks reportedly struck civilian areas in Israel. “Tehran will burn if attacks on Israeli civilians continue,” Israel’s Defence Minister Israel Katz warned on Saturday.
He reiterated the threat on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, stating that “residents of Tehran will pay the price — and soon.”
The warnings have had an immediate and chaotic impact. Residents of Tehran, a sprawling metropolis of over 15 million people, have taken to the streets en masse, seeking refuge outside the capital.
Major exit roads have become gridlocked, while long queues of cars snake through the city’s few operational petrol stations. Other streets, in contrast, lie quiet and deserted, evoking scenes of an abandoned city.
“I only packed the essentials and left with my family,” said Zadshad, a 35-year-old teacher who fled to Rasht, a town near the Caspian Sea.
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“What normally takes four hours took more than a day. And now that we’ve arrived, there’s no food, and the shops are overwhelmed.”
The north, usually known for its scenic beauty and tourist appeal, has now become a haven for displaced families.
Prices of accommodation have skyrocketed, and shortages of basic goods are spreading rapidly. Even in these so-called “safe” areas, residents live with deep anxiety and uncertainty.
The western regions of Iran, particularly those near the border with Israel and home to numerous military installations, have borne the brunt of Israeli air force strikes since Friday.
Civilian evacuation from these areas has also intensified, though eastern provinces remain the primary destination for fleeing citizens.
For some, escape means crossing international borders. One family, trying to reach their daughter in Istanbul, Turkey, recounted borrowing €5,000 to fund the journey.
“We’re waiting for the roads to clear before deciding which border to cross,” said the father, a 60-year-old media worker.
Others haven’t been as fortunate. A Tehran resident attempting to drive his ailing 82-year-old mother toward Azerbaijan was forced to turn back due to fuel shortages and heavy congestion. “Now we’re just waiting for better conditions,” he said.
With the civilian toll rising and displacement spreading rapidly, humanitarian agencies are on high alert. Both Israeli and Iranian governments have hardened their rhetoric, leaving little room for diplomacy.
Meanwhile, Tehran’s residents remain caught in the crossfire — watching, waiting, and praying for an end to the violence.
