BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The attacks on Iran have killed hundreds of Iranian citizens. For those living here with family ties to Iran, the watching and waiting can be excruciating.

“I’m very concerned about my family safety, my friend’s safety, all other people that it I know them or I don’t know them,” said Lehigh University Assistant Professor of Bioengineering Amir Taebi.

He hasn’t spoken to his Iranian based family in days.

He’s now glued to messaging apps hoping for the words, “We’re okay”.

“Last time that I could talk with my family was Saturday morning, around 5 a.m. Eastern Time,” he said.

In the meantime, he watches Israel and the U.S. continue to bomb his country. President Trump has said the goal is to destroy Iran’s nuclear capabilities- a campaign he says could last a month or more.

Taebi says casualties include hospitals, schools and neighborhoods similar to where his family lives.

As of now at least 550 people have been killed.

“Innocent people, people that this is not their war, that and they’re going, they’re dying,” he added.

The Iranian state media reported the strikes did kill the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. President Trump has called the regime sick and sinister, strongly encouraging Iranians to rise up and take control of the government.

Brian Mello, a professor at Muhlenberg College and middle east geopolitical expert, says taking out the supreme leader doesn’t guarantee a clearer future for citizens.

“You don’t kill thousands of protesters to put down a national uprising if you don’t have a lot of people loyal to preserving the regime as it is, and air strikes aren’t going to stop that, and taking out leadership at the top doesn’t stop that either,” Mello explained.

For a country already on edge, what comes next is unclear.

For Taebi, the uncertainly only deepens his fear.

“I really don’t get why innocent people should die for a war that is not the U.S. war,” Taebi said.

He adds currently there is a lockdown on communication and internet within Iran. He isn’t sure when he will be able to speak to his family.