Since the beginning of the military campaign in Iran, the Israeli and U.S. air forces have continued to attack infrastructure of the Basij militia, the Revolutionary Guards, and domestic security forces throughout the country. These strikes against dozens of headquarters and bases are intended to degrade as much as possible the capabilities of the Iranian security forces in order to impair their ability to maintain the regime's control and undermine their suppression capabilities.
However, it appears that the ongoing strikes are not affecting—at least at this stage—the Iranian regime's ability to maintain a significant degree of control over the situation throughout the country. Reports published in news channels and social networks, including those identified with the Iranian opposition, indicate that domestic security forces and the intelligence mechanisms of the Islamic Republic, including the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij, domestic security forces, and the Ministry of Intelligence, continue to operate extensively with the aim of maintaining the regime's stability.
These reports suggest, among other things, that domestic security forces continue to deploy many checkpoints in central cities to monitor civilian movement and deter the population from renewing anti-regime protests. Thus, for example, security forces established an extensive network of checkpoints and inspection stations in Tehran. Additionally, security forces use civilian infrastructure, especially schools, for military purposes. In several cities across Iran, the presence of units in schools or various government buildings has been reported, to allow them to continue operating despite the damage to the headquarters and bases they usually use.
At the same time, the authorities, led by the security and intelligence agencies, continue to adopt a policy of zero tolerance toward any sign of opposition to the regime. This is accompanied by the ongoing blocking of internet access. In this framework, dozens of citizens have been arrested in recent days for offenses of espionage, incitement, cooperation with foreign communication networks (such as "Iran International"), or photographing sites hit in the Israeli and American strikes. Simultaneously, senior Iranians published explicit warnings stating that any citizen who cooperates with "the enemy" and participates in protests will be considered a collaborator with the enemies of the Islamic Republic in a time of war. The commander of the domestic security forces, Ahmad Reza Radan, even warned that his forces received an explicit order to shoot directly at anyone perceived as exploiting the conditions of the war, including thieves and rioters.
The Israeli and American strikes against governmental and security targets in an attempt to influence the regime's stability may wear down the regime's capabilities over time and make it difficult for it to successfully deal with internal challenges, especially in a scenario of renewed popular protest. However, it seems that at this stage, these strikes are not sufficient to undermine the internal cohesion among the security forces, their ability to function, or their practical control throughout the country.
Since the beginning of the military campaign in Iran, the Israeli and U.S. air forces have continued to attack infrastructure of the Basij militia, the Revolutionary Guards, and domestic security forces throughout the country. These strikes against dozens of headquarters and bases are intended to degrade as much as possible the capabilities of the Iranian security forces in order to impair their ability to maintain the regime's control and undermine their suppression capabilities.
However, it appears that the ongoing strikes are not affecting—at least at this stage—the Iranian regime's ability to maintain a significant degree of control over the situation throughout the country. Reports published in news channels and social networks, including those identified with the Iranian opposition, indicate that domestic security forces and the intelligence mechanisms of the Islamic Republic, including the Revolutionary Guards, the Basij, domestic security forces, and the Ministry of Intelligence, continue to operate extensively with the aim of maintaining the regime's stability.
These reports suggest, among other things, that domestic security forces continue to deploy many checkpoints in central cities to monitor civilian movement and deter the population from renewing anti-regime protests. Thus, for example, security forces established an extensive network of checkpoints and inspection stations in Tehran. Additionally, security forces use civilian infrastructure, especially schools, for military purposes. In several cities across Iran, the presence of units in schools or various government buildings has been reported, to allow them to continue operating despite the damage to the headquarters and bases they usually use.
At the same time, the authorities, led by the security and intelligence agencies, continue to adopt a policy of zero tolerance toward any sign of opposition to the regime. This is accompanied by the ongoing blocking of internet access. In this framework, dozens of citizens have been arrested in recent days for offenses of espionage, incitement, cooperation with foreign communication networks (such as "Iran International"), or photographing sites hit in the Israeli and American strikes. Simultaneously, senior Iranians published explicit warnings stating that any citizen who cooperates with "the enemy" and participates in protests will be considered a collaborator with the enemies of the Islamic Republic in a time of war. The commander of the domestic security forces, Ahmad Reza Radan, even warned that his forces received an explicit order to shoot directly at anyone perceived as exploiting the conditions of the war, including thieves and rioters.
The Israeli and American strikes against governmental and security targets in an attempt to influence the regime's stability may wear down the regime's capabilities over time and make it difficult for it to successfully deal with internal challenges, especially in a scenario of renewed popular protest. However, it seems that at this stage, these strikes are not sufficient to undermine the internal cohesion among the security forces, their ability to function, or their practical control throughout the country.