The people of Iran are united more than before to support their government after the attacks from the U.S. Air Force, according to Foad Izadi, a professor from the University of Tehran.
Izadi called the U.S. attacks of the Iranian nuclear sites on June 22 a "surprise" on the negotiation table.
"They called [it] the Operation Midnight Hammer. What the United States has done is the U.S. has taken the hammer and smashed the negotiation table. You don't attack the other side in surprise in the middle of negotiations. This is what happened to Iran," he said.
The U.S. Air Force on June 22 bombed three Iranian nuclear sites of Fordow, Natanz and Isfahan after Iran and Israel exchanged several rounds of airstrikes since June 13. In retaliation, Iran attacked the U.S. Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar with missiles on June 23.
Following Iran's attack, Trump announced a ceasefire between Iran and Israel starting on Tuesday, which was later confirmed by the two sides.
By attacking Iran, the United States wants to beef up its military presence in the Middle East, Izadi said.
"One of the aims of the United States is take control of the Middle East. That's why they're fighting Iran. They feel that they're competing with Iran. They want to remove the Iranian government. They want to break up Iran, and they want to complete their hold in the Middle East," he said.
Following the U.S. attack on June 22, crowds of Iranians gathered at the Enqelab Square in central Tehran to protest against the Israeli and U.S. attacks and show their resolve to defend their country. Izadi said Iranians are united more than before.
"Iranians are actually supporting the government more than what they used to. The people who did not agree with the government realize that their country is under attack. [They] realized that Iran's government was negotiating, realized that they attacked Iran surprisingly in the middle of negotiations. This is the first time since the 1979 revolution that the people of Iran are so united," Izadi said.
Iranians united more than ever to support government: analyst
A major port in northern Venezuela came under U.S. airstrikes in the early hours of January 3, which caused extensive damage to civilian infrastructure, destroyed critical medical supplies in a warehouse, and severely impacted centuries-old cultural heritage sites, according to local residents.
The La Guaira Port, a vital hub for imports that support daily life in the region, was heavily damaged during the attack.
Large quantities of medical supplies stored at the port were destroyed. A historic cultural building dating back for some 300 years was also badly damaged by the bombardment.
Residents living near the port recalled the terrifying scenes as explosions shook nearby neighborhoods.
Humberto Bolivar, who lives in a community separated from the port by only a main road, said the blast waves shattered his home's windows, while stray shrapnel struck the water tank on his roof. According to reports, three missiles were fired at the port that night.
Bolivar said that beyond material losses, he is most concerned about the psychological impact on his children, who remain too frightened to leave their home days after the attack.
"The United States invaded our country. The children were frightened. This is not good for them, because it leaves some children with psychological trauma. They do not want to go to school or leave the house, because they are afraid that something worse might happen. We truly do not want this to happen to our country," he said.
Apart from civilian facilities, local cultural heritage site was also affected.
The La Guaira state government building, a structure with nearly 300 years of history and once served as the site of Venezuela's first national customs office, was struck by the force of the explosions.
Windows of the building were shattered, and furniture scattered across the floor.
"As people of La Guaira, we feel deep pain. Our cultural heritage has been bombed. We are living in constant anxiety and suffering, and life can no longer be the same as it was before," said a local named Henry Cumares.
The U.S. side has claimed the airstrikes targeted warehouses allegedly used to store narcotics. However, locals refuted such accusation.
"According to what Donald Trump said, they bombed this place using the excuse that the warehouses here were used to store drugs at the port. But based on the video released by our governor, these warehouses that were burned contained medicine for kidney patients and foods. Many people depend on these supplies to survive. I think the bombing is extremely despicable," said a local resident named Alejandro Capriles.
US strike hits Venezuelan port, wrecking medical supplies, heritage building
