Israel on high alert over possible US intervention in Iran

Harry Potter author J K Rowling voiced support for protesters in Iran in a post on X on Sunday.

Rowling criticized people she described as backing human rights but declining to show solidarity with Iranians “fighting for their liberty.”

Hakeem Jeffries, the top Democrat in the US House of Representatives, voiced support on Saturday for protesters in Iran, calling their actions a fight for “freedom, dignity and self-determination.”

“Millions of people across Iran are displaying tremendous bravery in the face of decades of oppression and dictatorial rule,” Jeffries said in a statement.

“The world is watching in awe as they lead an honorable fight for freedom, dignity and self-determination. I stand with the courageous protestors who are under attack by the Islamic Republic.”

Barron Trump, the son of US President Donald Trump, shared videos showing a large protest rally in Tehran during ongoing demonstrations.

The post said authorities attempted to disrupt the protest by cutting power, but that demonstrators continued to gather and illuminate the streets with their phones.

“You can kill the power. You can’t kill the will of the people. Every tyrannical regime makes this mistake. And it always ends the same way," he said on X.

Iran’s parliament speaker warned that Israel and US military and shipping facilities would be targets if the United States launches a military attack, following US President Donald Trump’s warnings to Tehran over a crackdown on protesters.

“In the event of a US military attack, both Israel and US military and shipping centers will be our legitimate target,” Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said.

“Within the framework of legitimate defense, we do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after an action, and we are telling Trump and his allies in the region not to make a miscalculation,” Ghalibaf added, calling Trump “delusional”.

Footage sent to Iran International from Kahrizak, south of Tehran, shows several dead bodies in body bags. According to eyewitness accounts accompanying the videos, dozens of bodies are visible at the site, with additional bodies reportedly located in another nearby industrial shed.

Videos earlier sent to Iran International from Fardis, Karaj, and Alghadir Hospital in eastern Tehran showed similar scenes of dead bodies falling on the ground, pointing to an unfolding mass killing that is not confined to a limited number of cities.

The internet shutdown that started on January 8 have made it impossible to obtain a full picture of events on the ground. However, the volume and consistency of incoming accounts suggest that lethal force is being widely used to disperse protesters.

The most conservative estimates indicate that at least 2,000 people have been killed over the past 48 hours. A doctor in the northern city of Rasht told Iran International that one hospital alone received at least 70 bodies.

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