Bay Area Protests Erupt Over Iran Strikes
Anti-war protests broke out across the Bay Area on Saturday, less than 24 hours after the U.S. and Israel launched major strikes against Iran. The demonstrations brought the escalating international conflict to the streets of San Francisco and surrounding cities.
The joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign, dubbed "Operation Epic Fury" by the U.S. and "Operation Roaring Lion" by Israel, reportedly killed Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other senior officials in a series of widespread strikes that began Saturday. U.S. B-2 stealth bombers and Israeli fighter jets targeted military, nuclear, and leadership sites in Tehran and other major cities, including Isfahan and Qom. In San Francisco, several hundred demonstrators gathered at the Federal Building on Seventh Street to protest the strikes. Organizers from groups including the Party for Socialism and Liberation and the Palestinian Youth Movement led chants condemning the military action. Protests also took place in Oakland and Berkeley, with some demonstrators expressing fear for family in Iran and others wary of a long and bloody conflict. The escalation immediately rattled global markets, with oil prices jumping over fears of disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, through which about a third of the world's seaborne oil passes. Analysts predict a potential rotation out of higher-risk investments, including some tech stocks, and into safer assets like gold and silver as market volatility increases. This weekend's attacks follow a tense period, including a 12-day conflict in June 2025 where the U.S. also struck Iranian nuclear facilities. Recent high-stakes nuclear negotiations in Geneva, mediated by Oman, ended without a breakthrough just two days before the current offensive began. International reaction has been divided. Russia and China condemned the strikes as an "unprovoked act of armed aggression," while leaders in the United Kingdom and France urged de-escalation. The U.S. and several Gulf allies, including Saudi Arabia and the UAE, issued a joint statement condemning Iran's retaliatory missile launches across the region. President Trump stated the operation aims to eliminate threats from the Iranian regime and would continue "uninterrupted throughout the week or, as long as necessary." Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country's strikes "will increase even more in the coming days," signaling a prolonged and widening conflict. Iran has vowed revenge, and its security chief stated, "We will not negotiate with the United States."
