Operation Epic Fury, the massive military action against Iran, is escalating as concern grows among Iranian New Yorkers for thousands of political protestors taken into custody after demanding freedom from a brutal regime that has suppressed its people for decades.
Jewish New Yorkers and local politicians have expressed mixed reactions over the strikes, with an overwhelming number of Jewish and Iranian New Yorkers supporting the political upheaval and mission to eliminate the country’s nuclear weapons.
Leading up to the United States and Israel’s Feb. 28 military strikes on the Iranian government, which eliminated the country’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top political figures, Iranians led protests in the streets of the Islamic Republic in a movement to end strict social and political controls and economic hardship.
The number of activists killed by security forces during the mass demonstrations varies depending on the source, but some reports suggest around 30,000 deaths.
Still, many remain imprisoned.
“We call on governments worldwide and international organizations to urgently use every available diplomatic and political channel to press Iranian authorities to release all political prisoners and detainees and to ensure that no executions are carried out during this period of conflict,” the Center for Human Rights in Iran, based in New York, said in a statement.
Political prisoners in Iran are at risk of execution. Many behind bars do not even know that a conflict around nuclear weapons is ensuing in and around their country.
“The Islamic Republic has a history of using the shadow of war and crises to carry out abuses in prisons and retaliate against political prisoners,” the statement continued. “At a time when access to independent information about detention facilities has become nearly impossible, there are serious fears that judicial and prison authorities may escalate mistreatment, particularly against those held on politically motivated charges.”
Throughout the demonstrations, New Yorkers expressed solidarity with the Iranian people. In January, one Iranian-American spoke to amNewYork, anonymously out of fear of retaliation, to explain the significance of the protests.
“They reached a point where they can’t hold on anymore. They can’t just blindly go on with their lives being oppressed, having every right taken from them,” she said. “They’re not allowed to dance, they’re not allowed to even walk a dog in the streets. Taking the hijab off is not only an act of defiance, if you can call it that, but it is also saying, ‘I take my power back. We’re no longer going to live like this.’”
NYC politicians, rabbis and Jewish groups react to Iran
Mayor Zohran Mamdani, along with several other NYC elected officials, have publicly condemned the attack on Iran. Mamdani called the U.S. and Israel military strikes an “illegal war of aggression.”
Rabbi Marc Schneier, president of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, said he is grateful for the United States and the Israel Defense Forces for their action during the conflict.
“I express profound gratitude to the United States Armed Forces and the IDF for their courage, sacrifice and unwavering commitment to protecting freedom and security,” he said.
The rabbi also shared a Purim message and discussed Iran’s position in the world.
“Iran has not only sought Israel’s destruction, but has also threatened America and the broader Western world,” he said. “Purim calls us to recognize the interconnectedness of Western society and to stand firm in our collective resolve to defeat any threat to its existence.
Rabbi Mark Wildes, founder and director of the Manhattan Jewish Experience, told amNewYork he supports the efforts to dismantle the Ayatollah’s oppressive regime in Iran.
“One that for decades has persecuted its own people and fueled instability around the world,” he said. “Ending the influence of this brutal system would be a victory for all who value liberty, freedom, and peace. As this critical military operation unfolds, we must also remain vigilant here in NYC and strengthen security against any proxy terrorist groups or individuals backed by Iran.”
But the Jewish Voice, a group that self-describes as “Jews united against Zionism and the state of Israel,” said in a statement that “Iran is not an enemy of the Jewish people” and identified Israel’s prime minister as a “war criminal.”
“Anti-Zionist Jews grieve with great sorrow and pain over Zionism and its provocation that brought about the tragic new war with Iran,” the statement read. “This war was not unexpected; for years, Zionist leaders have campaigned for military action against Iran.”
A ‘direct hit’ near Jerusalem
Meanwhile, conditions are frightening for civilians in and around the conflict region in the Middle East.
Yael Levontin, an American living in Israel, spoke with amNewYork about her experience living just outside Jerusalem amid the crisis. Sirens blare when a rocket attack is about to happen.
“It really depends on the time of day and how many sirens we get,” she explained. “We are closest to Jerusalem, so in terms of sirens, we get less than the people living in Tel Aviv. Unfortunately, even one rocket can cause so much damage.”
Levontin, a married mother of five boys, has experienced multiple rocket attacks from terrorist groups and Iran. Amid the conflict, a ballistic missile fell half a mile from her home. It killed nine people.
“We had a direct hit right here in the city that killed nine beautiful souls,” she said. “They were running to their outside safe room. It was just half a mile from my house. We heard the sirens and went into our safe room. Then we heard this really big boom. We felt the walls shake.”
As frightening as the experience was, and continues to be, Levontin said she wants an end to the Islamic Republic’s regime.
“Across all of Israel, we are willing to be good soldiers,” she explained. “We are willing to go into the safe room and stay there and wait. We are willing to run out to get milk and run back. And time our showers if possible. We’re willing to take all of that to make sure that this regime is gone from this world.”
Levontin, who works as a communications manager for the Jewish National Fund-USA, explained that the organization is mobilizing resources to protect lives across the country. It has bomb shelters in place, as well as fire trucks ready to respond to fires and rescue efforts.
She also works closely with Israel’s Fire & Rescue Authority to help the get resources they need during the ongoing crisis.
Meanwhile, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth held a briefing on Wednesday morning, updating the American people on the ongoing conflict. He claimed military forces are on a trajectory to defeat Iran’s capabilities.
According to NBC News, four of the six U.S. service members killed in the military operation have been identified: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Florida; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Spc. Declan J. Coady, 20, West Des Moines, Iowa.
