HOUSTON – It has been just over a week since the United States launched a significant airstrike targeting a nuclear facility in Iran.
This event has sparked many questions nationwide: How did this happen? Why did it happen? What does it mean? And what may come next?
We get a first-hand perspective on this historic moment through the eyes of Anahita Delos, an Iranian American who has lived in the U.S. for 15 years.
Anahita Delos: A story of escape and hope
Anahita fled Iran to escape an oppressive regime she describes as brutal and controlling. While she feels physically safe in the United States, she believes that true peace will not be possible until the regime in Iran is dismantled.
She fears that the recent airstrike may have only irritated the regime further, escalating tensions.
Anahita shares her story:
“I was arrested a couple of times in Iran. I was fighting against terror and repression from the regime, the lack of democracy, human rights, and women’s rights. I was not going to raise my kids in Iran.”
Since the Islamic regime took power in 1979, an estimated two to three million Iranians have left the country, many seeking freedom and safety in places like the United States.
U.S.-Iran Tensions and nuclear concerns
Tensions between the U.S. and Iran have lasted decades. In recent years, Iran has reportedly amassed enough uranium to develop powerful nuclear weapons, raising global concerns.
Anahita emphasizes the personal impact: “It means you will never feel safe in your daily lives. It means no peace in the world. It means nuclear bombing is possible.”
Operation Midnight Hammer: The U.S. airstrike
The U.S. airstrike, known as Operation Midnight Hammer, had three primary goals:
1. Destroy Iran’s nuclear sites
2. Prevent a nuclear breakout
3. Pressure Iran to return to negotiating
However, some Iranians in the U.S., including Anahita, believe the strike didn’t go far enough, and the threat still looms large.
Emotional toll on families
Anahita recalls the immediate aftermath of the bombing:
“We couldn’t contact our friends or family for days. It was frustrating. Every time there’s conflict with the regime, they cut off the internet easily.”
As an Iranian-American, Anahita reflects on life since the airstrike:
“I really wish that the U.S. would finish the job. Everyone, like me, and other Iranian people, want the U.S. and Israel to finish the job.”
Following the airstrikes, CIA Director John Ratcliffe said Iran’s nuclear sites were “severely damaged,” and President Donald Trump described them as “completely obliterated.”
On June 23, Iran threatened retaliation. Days later, missiles were launched at the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. While those missiles were intercepted, the incident escalated tensions further.
The U.S. airstrike on Iran’s nuclear facilities has not just geopolitical implications but deeply personal effects on Iranian-Americans like Anahita Delos. As tensions continue to escalate, the desire for peace and security remains strong among many.
