Photos: At the New Jersey State House, protesters call for an end to the war with Iran
As the war between the United States and Iran entered its second week with no clear end in sight, demonstrators gathered at statehouses and city squares across the country to demand an immediate halt to the fighting and urge elected officials to press for diplomacy.
About 50 people gathered in front of the State House in Trenton on Saturday afternoon, March 7, beating drums and chanting to show their opposition to the conflict that began Feb. 28 when U.S. and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury, a sweeping assault targeting Iranian military infrastructure, air defenses, and senior leadership. Nearly 900 strikes were carried out in the first 12 hours of the campaign, and Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, was killed in the opening attacks. Iran has since named his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as the country’s new supreme leader.
Human rights groups say the war has already taken a heavy toll on civilians. The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency estimates that at least 1,205 civilians have been killed in Iran since the conflict began, including 194 children.
A Senate resolution invoking the War Powers Act to force President Donald Trump to pull back from the fighting failed last week, and administration officials say military operations will continue until U.S. objectives are achieved.
