New findings show that the fighting in Iran did not only damage missile infrastructure and military targets. It also struck deep into the Islamic Republic’s internal repression system, hitting the very institutions used to control, intimidate and silence the Iranian public.
IRAN INTERNATIONAL -- According to the investigation, at least 130 sites linked to domestic repression were hit over roughly one month. These reportedly included 57 Basij sites, 43 police facilities, as well as intelligence compounds and judicial centers. Together, these targets represent the three main layers of the regime’s internal enforcement network.
The significance of these strikes goes beyond physical damage. The Basij, police and intelligence arms are central to the regime’s grip on daily life, from crushing protests to enforcing ideological loyalty and monitoring dissent. Striking these nodes suggests that the war reached into the heart of the regime’s ability to project fear inside Iran, not just its ability to wage war abroad.
This also highlights a broader point: the Islamic Republic’s power rests not only on missiles, proxies and the IRGC, but also on the machinery it uses against its own people. Damage to that machinery could weaken the regime’s ability to contain unrest at a time of mounting internal pressure.
