Drone Strikes on Tehran Security Posts Trigger Widespread Fear Among Iranian Forces

Leaked audio reveals Iranian commanders urging security forces not to flee their posts as Israeli drone attacks intensify across Tehran. The strikes have prompted some Basij militia members to abandon their duties and flee the capital out of fear of being targeted.

Fear has gripped Iranian security forces as drone strikes targeting military checkpoints throughout Tehran have escalated, according to a leaked audio recording from a Basij militia commander obtained by The Media Line.

The recording, shared on the Telegram channel Mamlekateh, captures a commander addressing his troops through a messaging platform used by forces in one Tehran district. The commander can be heard instructing his personnel to remain calm during drone attacks and not to desert their positions.

A Tehran resident reports that growing numbers of Basij members have stopped showing up for duty in recent days due to fears of becoming targets.

The commander in the audio identifies the aircraft used in one checkpoint attack as a Heron TP drone, explaining it can fly continuously over Tehran for 16 hours and deploy eight cluster-operating missiles. He explains that with fewer traditional military targets available for fighter jets, drones are now being used to target military personnel in the capital.

According to the recording, aircraft are also being utilized to locate gathering spots for military personnel, with large concentrations of mobile phones helping to reveal their positions.

The commander instructs forces stationed in schools, mosques, and other civilian buildings to immediately turn off their phones when they hear drone sounds, evacuate their posts, and relocate to nearby positions where they can engage any “armed individuals” while avoiding potential missile strikes.

“They are clearing the way so that by creating fear and terror they can move operational teams across the city to the intended areas,” the commander states in the recording, urging his forces to manage their anxiety and “not be scared for no reason.” He notes that Basij personnel are constantly scanning the skies in anticipation of air strikes, despite no ground-based attacks occurring.

Recent days have seen the Israeli military release multiple videos showing strikes against Revolutionary Guards and Basij personnel at security checkpoints, with additional footage appearing on various Telegram channels. These attacks have created significant anxiety among Basij members.

A southern Tehran resident told The Media Line that a family member who had been stationed at a neighborhood checkpoint – which locals refer to as a “trap” – shut off his phone yesterday and fled to northern Iran. When Basij officials called asking about his absence, the family claimed they had no knowledge of his whereabouts.

These developments coincide with Friday’s Quds Day demonstration, where several high-ranking officials participated, including President Masoud Pezeshkian, who appeared to move through the crowd with minimal visible security protection.

State television labeled Pezeshkian as “brave” in on-screen text, while his security detail maintained distance, many positioning themselves behind television cameras with weapons at the ready.

During Chief Justice Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei’s rally appearance, an explosion occurred in the vicinity, prompting both uniformed and plainclothes security personnel to quickly escort him from the area while the event was being televised. State media also confirmed that explosive debris killed a woman near Enghelab Square in central Tehran during the Quds Day gathering.

Combined Israeli and US operations targeting Tehran locations have significantly intensified over recent nights, with massive explosions reported throughout most areas of the Iranian capital, particularly in eastern and western districts, as well as in Karaj, continuing around the clock.

As bombing continued and electrical power was disrupted in sections of the city, an eastern Tehran resident informed The Media Line on Friday evening that all VPN access had been blocked since morning, and satellite television channels – residents’ primary source for war updates – had been jammed, leaving people unaware for hours of US and Israeli warnings about targeted areas.

On Thursday evening, Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref made visits to multiple checkpoints to encourage military personnel and took photographs with the forces.

Following the announcement of Ali Khamenei’s death, the former Islamic Republic leader, civilians took to the streets in celebration, prompting Basij and IRGC forces to open fire in several incidents, resulting in multiple civilian deaths.

In recent days, Iranian authorities have positioned military units throughout city streets in vehicles mounted with machine guns, openly threatening demonstrators and warning that any public protests will face suppression more severe than the violent crackdown in January.

Social media users reported additional checkpoint attacks in Tehran and other cities, including Karaj, on Friday evening.