US-Iran conflict continues to widen
Image: WSJ/Iranian State Media
The conflict in the Middle East escalated further yesterday, as Israel stepped up airstrikes on Iranian missile launchers and other sites, while Iranian attacks threatened to shut air travel and oil shipping in the nearby Strait of Hormuz.
The latest: The US Embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was struck by two Iranian drones, while the parking lot of the US consulate in Dubai was also struck by a drone, with no injuries reported from either incident. The US State Dept. is warning Americans to "DEPART NOW" from over a dozen Middle Eastern countries.
- Israel struck the building Iranian clerics use to choose the new supreme leader in an attempt to disrupt that process, though Iran says the building was evacuated.
- The UAE—which is the country most attacked by Iran in recent days, even above Israel—is reportedly considering unprecedented military strikes against Iran in order to stop their attacks.
Death tolls continue to rise. Nearly 800 people have been killed in Iran since the conflict began, according to the country’s Red Crescent Society. Israel has reported 11 deaths, while the US confirmed six service members were killed. Other Middle Eastern nations have also reported deaths from recent strikes, including 50 killed in Lebanon by Israeli missiles targeting Hezbollah.
Trump provides an update: In remarks at the White House yesterday, President Trump said Iran's military has been largely neutralized after four days of joint US-Israeli airstrikes.
- In separate comments one day earlier, Trump outlined four objectives in Iran: destroying Iran's missile capabilities, wiping out its navy, preventing access to a nuclear weapon, and removing its ability to fund proxy militias.
- He didn’t rule out sending US ground troops, though later said they likely won’t be necessary.
Trump has also pledged to offer "political risk insurance and guarantees" for energy tankers and other ships operating near Iran, saying the US Navy will escort tankers through the critical Strait of Hormuz if needed.
Looking ahead…The US operation against Iran could take 4-5 weeks and potentially longer, according to Trump. This timeframe is echoed by top Israeli officials, who say they need more time to achieve three objectives in Iran: “no nuclear weapons, no missile threat, no terror infrastructure.”
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Sprinkles from the Left
- Some commentators argue that the Trump admin is basically saying “trust us” on a huge new Iran operation while giving almost no usable details and shifting justifications, making it hard for anyone to understand what winning even means or how the conflict ends.
- Others contend that without a clearer plan for what comes next, which Trump has yet to articulate to the public or lawmakers, the US risks an outcome that will be worse for Iranians and quite likely for Americans, too
- “Nothing to See Here, Folks” –W.J. Hennigan, NY Times
- “Iran Strikes Won’t Succeed Without a Real Strategy” –Bloomberg Editorial Board
- “Unclear war aims are a recipe for disaster in Iran” –Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Editorial Board
Sprinkles from the Right
- Some commentators argue that Trump’s Iran strikes are not the start of a forever war, but an attempt to end a decades-long conflict Iran has been waging through terror attacks, proxies, and nuclear brinkmanship.
- Others contend that when presented with a choice between party and country when it comes to the conflict in Iran, most Democrats have chosen their party and continue to criticize America’s actions while they should be focused on stopping the enemy.
- “The Trump Doctrine is here. It ends forever wars.” –Marc A. Thiessen, Washington Post
- “On Iran, Democrats Offer Only Partisanship” –Mark Penn and Andrew Stein, WSJ
- “I voted for Trump for ‘America First’ — not to go to war” –Kristen Tate, Boston Globe
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