Bay Area Protests Erupt Over Iran Strikes

The U.S. and Israeli strikes, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury," targeted not only Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, but also key air-defense, missile, and nuclear-related sites in over a dozen cities. U.S. Central Command described the joint operation as the largest regional concentration of American military firepower in a generation, with the Israeli military striking more than 500 targets across Iran. In retaliation, Iran launched a broad counteroffensive, targeting U.S. military bases and civilian areas in at least eight countries, including the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. The strikes caused significant disruptions, with explosions reported in major cities like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and damage to international airports and hotels. Casualty reports vary, but Iranian state media has reported over 555 killed from the U.S.-Israeli campaign. One of the deadliest single incidents reported was an Israeli airstrike on a girls' elementary school in Minab, which Iranian state media claims killed over 100 people. Retaliatory Iranian strikes have resulted in the deaths of at least four U.S. service members and multiple civilians across the Gulf states and in Israel. The San Francisco protest, which drew several hundred people to the Federal Building, was organized by a coalition of groups including the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Palestinian Youth Movement. Yasmine Mortazavi, an Iranian American organizer, told reporters, "I have friends and family in Iran who I haven't been able to talk to... I assume my family is fleeing their city as we speak." Similar anti-war demonstrations took place in other Bay Area cities, including Berkeley, Oakland, and Walnut Creek. At a rally in Berkeley, calls for regime change in Iran by the Iranian people themselves were prominent, with one speaker stating, "Let the people of Iran decide for their own future and destiny." However, the sentiment within the Bay Area's Iranian American community is not monolithic. While many protested against the strikes, a rally of about 200 people at the San Francisco Ferry Building on Sunday celebrated the death of Khamenei. Attendees held signs saying "Thank you, Trump" and described the military action as a "rescue mission." Bay Area political leaders largely condemned the strikes, citing the lack of congressional authorization. Representative John Garamendi called the action a "direct violation of the United States Constitution," while Governor Gavin Newsom labeled the war "illegal," despite echoing calls for a change in Iran's leadership. International reaction has been mixed. Russia and China condemned the attacks, while the UK, France, and Germany called for de-escalation and a return to diplomacy. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres stated the strikes "squandered an opportunity for diplomacy" and urged all parties to pull back from the brink of a wider conflict.