An investigation by Al Jazeera into US-Israeli airstrikes targeting Iran's social control system reveals that the war's primary objective extends beyond dismantling military assets to undermining the Iranian state structure. The investigation verified that from late February to early March, at least 75 internal security sites, including local police stations, criminal investigation bases, and checkpoints operated by the Basij paramilitary force, were destroyed or damaged in bombardments.
The spatial distribution of strikes indicates a deliberate strategy: warplanes bypassed isolated military installations to hit infrastructure Tehran uses to police its citizens. The capital Tehran alone absorbed 31 strikes, accounting for over 40% of total targets, while major western and central cities such as Sanandaj, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Hamedan also faced intensive attacks. These areas encompass more than 70% of Iran's population.
US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in launching the war, urged Iranians to overthrow their government, but military planning preceded these events, with Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz revealing plans dating back to mid-2026. Former Israeli government adviser Daniel Levy stated that Israel seeks the collapse of the Tehran government, which could spread repercussions across the region.
However, a month into the war, the US-Israeli strategy to spark an internal revolution through the systematic destruction of Iran's internal security apparatus appears to be failing. Iranians are living under daily bombardments, yet the state structure remains resilient: FARAJA and Basij forces continue to control the streets, shutting down public gatherings during Ramadan and the New Year holiday.
The US attempt to dismantle state security from the air mirrors its disastrous 2003 de-Baathification policy in neighboring Iraq, which led to sectarian war. Unlike in Iraq, the Washington regime currently has no ground troops in Iran to fill the security void it is trying to create. As a result, millions of civilians are trapped in a burning country, facing a dual military and human rights crisis, as highlighted by the UN special rapporteur.
Source: www.aljazeera.com