‘My life is buried here’: Iranian man whose 12 family members were killed | US-Israel war on Iran News
Tehran Residential Attack Claims Lives of Twelve Family Members
Tehran – Hamed Mirzaei, a 30-year-old resident of Tehran, lost twelve members of his family in an attack on a residential building on March 9, 2026. Among the deceased was his wife, 26-year-old Mohadeseh, with whom he had been planning to start a family.
In a personal account shared with Al Jazeera, Mirzaei recounted the tragic events that unfolded on a Monday afternoon when his life was forever altered.
“Seven months have passed since the bombing, and on many days, I find myself back at my destroyed home, searching for my loved ones,” he said. Mirzaei described how the home, built by his grandfather and father’s uncle, was a cherished space for his extended family. He and his wife had recently moved into an apartment there.
On the day of the attack, he had left home to go to work but received a message from his wife asking him to pick up headache medicine. After failing to reach her by phone, he was just five minutes from home when he heard the first missile strike.
“The ground shook beneath my feet from the force of the explosion,” Mirzaei recalled. Despite the chaos, he initially believed his home had not been affected. However, as he approached the building, he saw that only its skeletal remains were visible.
When he arrived, firefighters and rescue workers were attempting to help those trapped under the rubble. Despite their efforts, Mirzaei was unable to locate any of his family members. Over the following days, he continued to search through the debris, hoping to find them.
“My wife, my sister-in-law, my parents, my grandparents, and several other relatives all perished in the attack,” he said. “Twelve members of my family died, and people ask me how I am.”
Mirzaei expressed the deepening sense of grief he feels daily. “I miss them more with every passing day,” he stated. “At first, I thought that perhaps, with time, the grief would ease, but it has not.”
Having been an only child, he had always expected to grow old surrounded by his large, extended family. “Now all those people, and all the love that flowed through our family, have vanished,” he said.
Mirzaei described his current existence as one of profound isolation. “I am the only one left. There is no one else from my family. I am utterly alone,” he explained. He urged those who believe in the righteousness of war to reconsider, pointing to the destruction of his family and home as evidence of its devastating impact.
“Seven months have passed since they destroyed our home,” he said. “I return every day, hoping to find some piece of it, but there is nothing left.”
As he continues to grapple with his loss, Mirzaei reflected on the emptiness that now fills his life. “Every day, I ask myself: ‘Why do I keep going?’ I have no answer,” he shared. “The only difference between me and my family is that they are buried beneath the rubble, while I am still walking around. Other than that, I am just as dead as they are.”
