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On Thursday, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) shared a gripping audio account from a civilian in Tehran, shedding light on the harrowing reality as Operation Epic Fury unfolds in Iran.
“For us, the war didn’t just begin four days ago. Its shadow loomed large when we first heard about the military buildup in the region and the preparations for conflict. Now, with the war in full swing, the sounds of explosions are relentless, offering no relief,” the anonymous civilian shared.
The constant barrage of explosions has left the residents on edge, making even the most mundane sounds trigger panic. The civilian expressed, “Every moment is fraught with the expectation of a loud noise. We’ve become so jittery that even the sound of a passing car can send us into a panic attack.”
Despite the deafening noise, the civilian, a lifelong resident of Tehran, observed that the city has turned into a virtual ghost town. Many have either fled to escape the conflict or drastically limited their movements to avoid the danger of airstrikes.
Even with the noise of the explosions, the civilian, who said he was born and raised in Tehran, noticed the city had become a ghost town as people had either fled the war or limited movements to stay safe from aerial attacks.
Neighbors stand March 5, 2026, in Tehran, Iran, near a destroyed car with an Islamic Republic flag, looking at a building damaged in the Shahid Borujerdi residential complex in Tehran that was heavily bombed the morning of March 4 by Israel and the U.S. during Operation Epic Fury. (Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)
“As a person who was born and lived his whole life in this city, I have never seen the city so quiet,” the civilian said. “Some of the people of my city have left. Many others stayed in, trying to limit movements to avoid getting caught in the aerial attacks on the city that never seem to come to an end. You don’t see people around. My city was a very big city and busy. I’m not used to seeing my city so calm and quiet.”
The U.S. and Israel have carried out air and sea attacks on Iran since the operation began Saturday. The operation has killed at least 1,230 people in Iran, according to The Associated Press. Additionally, six U.S. service members in Kuwait were killed in the hostilities.
“The ICRC is alarmed by growing threats to the safety and dignity of civilians in Iran, Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf region as major military operations continue to escalate. Civilians are already paying a very heavy price. They are being injured and killed, and civilian infrastructure including houses, schools, hospitals and airports is being affected. Collective political will is needed to stop the catastrophic chain reaction that is endangering countless lives,” an ICRC spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
A destroyed car outside a building in the Shahid Borujerdi residential complex in southeast Tehran March 5, 2026, that was heavily bombed the morning of March 4 by Israel and the U.S. during Operation Epic Fury. (Kaveh Kazemi/Getty Images)
“Across the region, civilians are confined to shelters or scrambling in search of safety. Many have spent sleepless nights shaken by the sound of explosions and lost contact with family members. They are living in fear for their lives and the lives of their loved ones. With airspace restrictions, people are trapped within an expanding battlefield that is already affecting populated urban areas,” the ICRC spokesperson added.
The ICRC has previously expressed concerns about the situation in Iran, and the organization’s president said on day one of Operation Epic Fury that it could have “devastating consequences for civilians.”
“The military escalation in the Middle East is igniting a dangerous chain reaction across the region, with potentially devastating consequences for civilians,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said.
In a statement issued a few days later, Spoljaric warned that “the scale of major military operations flaring across the Middle East risks embroiling the region — and beyond — into another large-scale armed conflict that will overwhelm any humanitarian response.”
“Without urgent steps to de-escalate the situation and respect the rules of war, further civilian lives will be lost,” Spoljaric added. “Civilians are already suffering the consequences of war.”
A view of Tehran with smoke visible in the distance after explosions were reported in the city March 2, 2026. (Contributor/Getty Images)
According to the civilian, Iranians on the ground are worried about the future and wonder how the war will play out. Another fear among the people is the possibility of supplies running out.
“The supplies are available in the shops that are open and work. But what if the situation gets worse or continues as it is now? Will the supplies being stocked be of any help, or will they be meaningless in the face of what can happen?” the civilian wondered.
“It is especially more worrying for people like me, who have to take care of people with medical complications that require special care. We are now under a lot of stress, worried to see what can come next.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the ICRC for comment.
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