As the United States and Israel launched joint strikes on nuclear and military targets in Iran, a network of activist groups tied to a Shanghai-based American tech billionaire rapidly organized protests across the country. Within minutes of the first reports of bombing, the groups issued calls for a nationwide day of action, framing the strikes as an illegal and unprovoked attack and mobilizing supporters to gather in major cities.

Organizations including the Answer Coalition and the People's Forum coordinated messaging, social media graphics and protest logistics overnight. Critics, including officials at the State Department, have previously warned that some of these groups receive funding linked to networks with connections to the Chinese Communist Party and have echoed narratives aligned with adversarial governments. The groups did not respond to requests for comment.

By midmorning, demonstrations were planned in at least 16 cities, with Times Square positioned as a focal point. Protest messaging linked opposition to the Iran strikes with broader criticism of United States foreign policy, portraying the military action as part of a wider pattern of imperial aggression.