There is a bad mood among the corridors Pentagon. According to what I heard from sources Washington Post The wave of attacks targeting American forces between Syria and Iraq was not dealt with properly. Some officials believe that the US retaliatory attacks were approved by the president Joe Biden But they did not stop the violence. “What strategy do we adopt?“, One of these officials asked: “Because it is clear that this does not deter Iran.”“.
For nearly a month, American bases in the Middle East have come under fire Shiite militias Controlled by Iran. Strong support for Israel in the campaign against it agitation In the Gaza Strip, all of these groups were active, targeting Al-Najma compounds with missiles and drones. Biden and leaders Pentagon They have warned Iran on multiple occasions that the militias must be kept at bay, and that Washington has the right to respond. But the attacks did not stop.
Attacks on American bases
As highlighted mail Last month, American soldiers were subjected to about sixty attacks that resulted in dozens of soldiers being injured. The American newspaper obtained a number of attacks focused on about 10 facilities, five of which were in each country. In recent weeks, the White House has approved three retaliatory missions, the most recent on November 12, all of which were conducted in Eastern Syria.
The sites used by the Iranian Pasdaran and its affiliated groups ended up in the line of fire, especially the command centers. Training camps And weapons depots that feed militia supply lines throughout the region, which also reach the border with Lebanon and its affiliates. Hizb allah. It is expected that the number of victims of these attacks will reach seven dead, but the outcome is still being examined by analysts.
The number that surprised the Pentagon the most was the number of raids in such a short time: 61 compared to 80 recorded between January 2021 and March of this year. In recent days, it emerged that the Pentagon knew the whereabouts of several Shiite Galactic leaders, but officials were assessing the potential effects of targeted strikes against the chain of command. At this point it seems that Ministry of Defense It has provided the White House with new military options to confront the threat, but it is unclear what these options are at the present time.
The slow “war” with Iran
The clash between American and Shiite militias is part of a fast-moving picture. Tehran and Washington have been engaged in skirmishes between Iraq and Syria for some time. there Islamic Republic The United States wants to withdraw approximately 3,500 American soldiers from the two countries, while the United States considers the presence of a garrison necessary to avoid awakening American forces. Islamic country. But the arc of the crisis extends beyond Syria and Iraq. In Lebanon Hizb allah They said that they were ready to open a front with Israel, while in the south, that is Houthi rebels Threatening the stability of the Gulf. The militia controlling part of Yemen initially fired missiles toward Israel (but were intercepted by a US ship’s missile system) and then shot down a plane. American drone $30 million on the Red Sea.
Pentagon concerns
Shortly before the start of the Israeli attack on Gaza, the United States rushed to transfer air defense missile batteries to reinforce its missiles. Missile shield In the region. The Ministry of Defense publicly calls for calm, downplays the significance of the raids, and asserts that almost all of the wounded soldiers have returned to duty. However, unofficially, some anxiety is creeping through the corridors of the Pentagon. The increasing attacks, despite the American response, raise concerns about the possibility of casualties among American soldiers sooner or later. A death that would accelerate escalation throughout the region.
Narrow street
The path remains very narrow indeed for America. Despite causing some dismay in Congress, the Pentagon has few options. At the present time, it was decided to direct strikes only against Syria, and avoid raids in Iraq, because the situation is more unstable. American soldiers are in the country at the invitation of the government BaghdadBut anti-American sentiment is rising across the country, fueled by numerous militias close to the Iranian ayatollahs. Attacking, and possibly causing deaths, could worsen the situation. Therefore, the United States has only a few options left, many of which relate to pure deterrence such as a military shield and the deployment of aircraft carriers and strike groups in the region. According to many analysts, only time will tell whether the White House and Pentagon strategy is successful, but time is precisely the limited path available to Biden, who is increasingly besieging trouble spots around the world.
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