WASHINGTON
Demonstrators flooded streets in major US cities over the weekend to protest the joint US-Israeli military strikes on Iran, which began Saturday and killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The operation, described by President Donald Trump as aimed at regime change and eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile threats, involved massive airstrikes on Tehran and other sites.
Israel reported follow-up attacks Sunday targeting air defenses and regime facilities in the capital’s heart.In retaliation, Iran launched missiles at Israel and US-linked sites across the Middle East. Explosions rocked Dubai (UAE), Doha (Qatar), Manama (Bahrain), and Kuwait—home to US military bases or allied nations—escalating fears of wider war. Iranian state media claimed strikes on 27 US bases and Israeli targets.
A coalition of groups, including the Palestinian Youth Movement, Democratic Socialists of America, Code Pink, and The People’s Forum, organized protests in cities like Washington DC (near the White House), New York (Times Square), Los Angeles (City Hall), Portland, Chicago, Boston, and more.
Chants and signs condemned the attacks as “illegal war” and “aggression,” calling for de-escalation and an end to US involvement.
Hundreds gathered in DC Saturday, denouncing civilian casualties (including reports of a school strike killing over 100). Protesters urged Congress to act on war powers amid ongoing strikes. The events mark a dramatic escalation in Middle East tensions, with Trump warning of “unprecedented force” if Iran continues retaliating. Global leaders expressed concern over instability.
