Six Iranians spoke to The Associated Press about the protests in Iran, describing how they expected the state to respond aggressively but were horrified by the extent of the brutal crackdown.

Many people in Tehran and Tel Aviv are worried that Trump will make good on his threats to attack Iran again, but for some, it's fear laced with hope.

The U.S. has amassed forces that Trump calls an “armada” in the region and he is considering possibly striking a wider range of targets than the U.S. did in its attack on Iranian nuclear facilities last summer,

Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP) In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (UGC via AP) Protesters march on a bridge in Tehran, Iran, on Dec. 29, 2025. (Fars News Agency via AP, File) In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, a slogan is written on a wall reading in Farsi, “Death to dictator” during an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP) This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP) This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP) This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP) In this photo obtained by The Associated Press, Iranians attend an anti-government protest in Tehran, Iran, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (UGC via AP) This frame grab from videos taken between Jan. 9 and Jan. 11, 2026, and circulating on social media purportedly shows images from a morgue with dozens of bodies and mourners after crackdown on the outskirts of Iran’s capital, in Kahrizak, Tehran Province. (UGC via AP)

CNN’s Fred Pleitgen visits Tehran’s Grand Bazaar, where protests started in late December. Thousands were killed and at least 40,000 arrested in the subsequent crackdown, according to the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency.

President Trump is weighing a range of military options against Iran, including targeted strikes on security forces and senior leaders.

Images reveal activity at two Iranian nuclear sites, suggesting that Tehran may be obscuring its efforts to salvage any materials remaining there.

The Trump administration has targets but no endgame.

The United States is considering new military strikes against the Islamic Republic of Iran over its deadly suppression of protests this month.