As tensions between Israel and Iran continue to rise, many Iranians are expressing support for Israel, spreading anti-regime graffiti in the streets of Iran, and taking to social media to show support for the state of Israel. This latest display of solidarity follows the airstrike in Damascus, Syria which eliminated seven Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps officers, including IRGC commander Mohammad Reza Zahedi and his deputy.
On social media, Iranians responded with celebration as news of the air strike broke – a phenomenon that has become commonplace in Iranian circles whenever regime targets are struck. The tradition began with the assassination of IRGC Commander Qassem Soleimani by the United States in 2020, after which Iranians profusely thanked then-President Donald Trump for the deed, dubbing slain Soleimani as a “kotlet” in the aftermath of the strike, referring to the popular ground meat patties. Since then, Iranians have frequently referred to kotlet on social media when speaking about terrorists who were assassinated by Israel or the United States, including both Hamas terrorists in Gaza and IRGC targets.
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Graffiti in Tehran this week: 'Israel go ahead and strike; they don’t have the courage'
After the airstrike in Syria on the Islamic Republic’s consulate, which was blamed on Israel, Tehran vowed revenge and overnight Saturday to Sunday fired 110 ballistic missiles, 36 cruise missiles and nearly 200 drones, 99% of which were intercepted before they reached Israeli territory.
Iranians in the diaspora and inside of Iran have openly called on social media for Israel to strike Islamic Republic targets in response. Additionally, a source inside Iran who spoke to Ynet on background said that “this has gone on long enough - 45 years of the Islamic Republic, when will we finally be free? If the Islamic Republic is stupid enough to attack Israel, Israel must strike back and help us get rid of the regime once and for all.”
Similar sentiments were shared in multiple photos shared by Iranians on social media of graffiti in Tehran which read: “Israel go ahead and strike; they don’t have the courage.” A day later, another building was tagged with the words: “Hit them harder next time Israel, they’ve s**t themselves.”
This is not the first time Iranians inside of Iran have demonstrated in support of Israel. Several weeks ago a woman filmed herself unveiling an Israeli flag over a Tehran highway and recording herself saying “Am Yisrael Chai.” Other Iranian dissidents such as Vahid Beheshti have also openly called on Israel to take out “the head of the octopus," meaning the regime in Iran.
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Graffiti in Tehran this week: 'Hit them harder next time Israel, they’ve s*** themselves'
While the majority of Iranians seem to support Israel and it’s right to self-defense, there is not a strong consensus as to how many Iranians would support such an attack, and many Iranians on social media have emphasized such support would be limited to only regime sites. For many Iranians, Israel represents a great hope for a life without the Islamic Republic and a return to historic relations between the Jewish people and the Iranian people.