Thousands of protesters poured into the streets of Tehran, Baghdad, and Beirut on Friday, voicing their outrage over Israel's recent military strike on Iran and its continued confrontation with regional allies.

Following weekly prayers, demonstrators in all three capitals waved Iranian, Hezbollah, and Palestinian flags, while chanting anti-Israel and anti-American slogans. The protests come just days after Israel launched a powerful air assault on Iranian territory—an action that triggered a direct missile response from Tehran.

In Tehran, state television broadcast images of crowds holding portraits of fallen military commanders and banners pledging allegiance to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. One banner read: “I will sacrifice my life for my leader,” echoing sentiments of unwavering national loyalty. Demonstrations were also reported in several other Iranian cities, including Shiraz and Tabriz.

Describing the mood as one of “national resistance,” Mohammad Javad Haj Ali Akbari, who led prayers in Tehran, told worshippers that Israel’s assault stemmed from “despair,” and accused the country of waging a “psychological war” to destabilize Iran internally.

“Their plans were precise, but their calculations were laughable,” Akbari told the congregation, as reported by the official IRNA news agency.

Tensions Spread Across the Region

In Iraq, thousands of followers of influential Shiite cleric Moqtada Sadr rallied in Baghdad and other major cities. In Sadr City, Baghdad’s working-class Shiite neighborhood, demonstrators shouted: “No to Israel! No to America!” while decrying what they called unjustified aggression against Iran.

“It is an unjust war… Israel has no right to strike Iran,” said Abu Hussein, a 54-year-old taxi driver among the protesters. “This is not about nuclear weapons. It’s about domination. The Americans and Israelis want to control the Middle East.”

In the religious city of Kufa, protesters escalated their message by burning both Israeli and American flags.

While Iraq maintains complex relations with both Iran and the United States, the current escalation has deepened fears of regional spillover, particularly if Tehran-backed Iraqi militias target U.S. interests.

Solidarity in Beirut and Beyond

Meanwhile in Lebanon, hundreds of Hezbollah supporters rallied in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the group’s traditional stronghold. Men, women, and children marched with Iranian and Hezbollah flags, some clutching images of Ayatollah Khamenei.

Adnan Zaytoun, 60, said his participation was a moral obligation: “It is my duty to stand with Iran against the Zionist Israeli enemy.” Though Hezbollah has so far refrained from direct military involvement, supporters reiterated their readiness to defend if provoked.

“If anyone attacks us, we will defend ourselves, but we do not support war,” Zaytoun added.

For 18-year-old university student Fadel Saad, the message was one of resilience. “We are here to show the American and Israeli enemies that we will not be broken, even if they destroy our homes.”

In Yemen, tens of thousands also mobilized in solidarity protests led by the Iran-aligned Houthi movement. In Sana’a and other cities, massive crowds gathered, reflecting the growing regional anger and rising fears of a broader confrontation.

A Widening Conflict?

With tensions between Israel and Iran now spilling into public squares across the Middle East, observers warn that the region may be inching toward wider conflict. As political leaders call for de-escalation, many on the ground are already preparing for the worst.

WafricNews will continue monitoring developments as the crisis unfolds.


By WafricNews Desk.