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Recent airstrikes by the Israeli military have significantly undermined Iran’s internal security forces, potentially paving the way for domestic unrest. These operations mark a dramatic escalation in Israel’s efforts to destabilize Iran’s oppressive regime.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Wednesday that the strikes involved “dozens of munitions” targeting the Basij and other internal security command centers integral to Iran’s authoritarian control. According to the IDF, these facilities are crucial for the regime’s ability to maintain situational awareness and suppress dissent throughout the country.
Meanwhile, the United States has intensified its military operations under Operation Epic Fury, targeting nearly 2,000 sites in a campaign designed to dismantle Iran’s security infrastructure and mitigate threats. Admiral Brad Cooper of the U.S. Central Command confirmed this figure in a recent video address.
Earlier this year, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Basij militia were responsible for violently quelling protests in Iran. These forces were involved in firing upon demonstrators and making widespread arrests, actions which some observers believed could herald a shift toward regime change—a shift that ultimately did not materialize.
In a striking visual, smoke was seen billowing over central Tehran on March 3, 2026, following the reported strikes by U.S. and Israeli forces on Iran’s capital. (Photo by Fatemeh Bahrami/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Israeli and U.S. officials have hinted at the possibility of regime change in Iran as both countries take aim at Tehran’s military and security sites.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a video message announcing the launch of Operation Epic Fury, which Israel calls Operation Rising Lion, that it was time for Iranians “to rid themselves of the yoke of tyranny.” Similarly, President Donald Trump said in a message to the Iranian people on Feb. 28 that “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.
Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 3, 2026, after Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed in joint U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, 2026. (Negar/Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)
“America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny, and to unleash the prosperous and glorious future that is close within your reach. This is the moment for action. Do not let it pass,” the president added.
Ali Vaez, director of the Iran project at the International Crisis Group, told The Wall Street Journal that the path to regime change through foreign airstrikes and popular uprising on the ground has “a bet that rests on no clear historical model.” Vaez also warned that the idea “ignores the resilience of entrenched authoritarian systems like the Islamic Republic.”
The IDF said on Monday that Israel had hit headquarters, bases and regional command centers that belonged to the regime’s internal security apparatus.
“These bodies were responsible for, among other things, suppressing protests against the regime through violent measures and civilian arrests,” the IDF said.
A group of men inspects the ruins of a police station struck amid the U.S.–Israeli military campaign in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
It is unclear who will lead Iran after Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on the first day of the operation. Since then, Israel and the U.S. have made it clear that regime leaders chosen to replace him would be targets. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned on Wednesday that anyone chosen to replace Khamenei would be considered “a target for elimination” if they continued to threaten Israel, the U.S. and regional allies.
The killing of key leaders might not be enough to cause an uprising, as the regime has a monopoly on weapons in most of Iran, the WSJ reported, adding that Basij militants are still patrolling the streets.
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