Lethal Force.
Skiing uphill.
1. Iran’s security forces are using lethal force against protesters nationwide, informed sources told Iran International, with preliminary estimates pointing to mass casualties as a sweeping crackdown unfolds amid a near-total internet shutdown. Footage sent to Iran International from Kahrizak, south of Tehran, shows several dead bodies in body bags. According to eyewitness accounts accompanying the videos, dozens of bodies are visible at the site, with additional bodies reportedly located in another nearby industrial shed. Two eyewitnesses who visited Kahrizak in search of their loved ones told Iran International that they saw more than 400 bodies there. (Source: iranintl.com/en)
2. The Center for Human Rights in Iran, based in New York, said it received eyewitness accounts and credible reports indicating that hundreds of protesters have been killed in Iran since the government cut off the country’s access to the internet on Thursday night. The CHRI said witnesses have reported that “hospitals were overwhelmed, blood supplies are critically low, bodies are being piled up, and the number of casualties is rising by the hour.” It said that many protesters have been shot in the eyes. In the past, Iranian security forces have shot protesters in the eyes with metal pellets and rubber bullets. The group also said witnesses reported the use of snipers, military rifles and surveillance drones. “CHRI warns that a massacre is unfolding,” the organization said. “The world must act now to prevent further loss of life.” (Source: washingtonpost.com. Italics mine)
3. Institute for the Study of War:
The Iranian regime has shifted from labeling protesters as “rioters” to describing them as “terrorists,” which signals that the regime has taken an uncompromising stance toward the ongoing protests. The regime will likely use its characterization of protesters as “terrorists” to justify further cracking down on the protests. Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Larijani distinguished on January 9 between protesters with legitimate economic demands and “urban semi-terrorist[s]” who conduct armed attacks. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC)-affiliated media have repeatedly described protesters as “terrorists” and compared them to Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) fighters. The “terrorist” label portrays protesters as an existential security threat that warrants a forceful and violent response. (Source: understandingwar.org)
4. President Trump has been briefed in recent days on new options for military strikes in Iran as he considers following through on his threat to attack the country for cracking down on protesters, according to multiple U.S. officials familiar with the matter. Mr. Trump has not made a final decision, but the officials said he was seriously considering authorizing a strike in response to the Iranian regime’s efforts to suppress demonstrations set off by widespread economic grievances. The president has been presented with a range of options, including strikes on nonmilitary sites in Tehran, the people said, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss confidential conversations. (Source: nytimes.com)
5. Tehran on Sunday threatened to retaliate against Israel and U.S. bases in the event of U.S. strikes on Iran, delivering the warning to Washington as Israeli sources said Israel was on high alert for the possibility of any U.S. intervention. With Iran’s clerical establishment facing the biggest anti-government protests since 2022, U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days, warning Iranian leaders against using force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the U.S. stands “ready to help”. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaking in parliament on Sunday, warned the United States against “a miscalculation”. “Let us be clear: in the case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all U.S. bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. (Source: asia.nikkei.com)
6. The U.S. conducted large-scale strikes against Islamic State at numerous locations across Syria yesterday in response to the killing of two American soldiers and a civilian interpreter last month, the Pentagon said. Warplanes and drones dropped more than 90 bombs on roughly three dozen targets, according to Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for the U.S. Central Command. Targets included ISIS infrastructure, smuggling routes and weapons caches, he said. The Jordanian military also took part in the strikes. (Source: wsj.com)
