By Margherita Stancati and Benoit Faucon

As U.S. and Israeli strikes hit targets across Iran, some opponents of the regime inside the country expressed hope this could be the beginning of the end of the Islamic Republic.

An Iranian doctor in northern Iran said he was "cautiously hopeful" about the strikes.

"There was no other way," said the doctor, who treated protesters who were injured during January's rallies.

The best-case scenario, the doctor said, would be a quick and relatively bloodless attack focused on eliminating the regime's leadership. The doctor also worried that a limited attack could either strengthen hardliners or leave a power vacuum that could turn Iran into a failed state.

An Iranian official in Tehran who is close to the opposition said people are rejoicing at the strikes but not openly. He and people who are close to him are celebrating around people they trust. "People on the street smile at each other: Can you believe it? They show how excited they are," he said.

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(END) Dow Jones Newswires

February 28, 2026 05:22 ET (10:22 GMT)

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