|
The Iranian government remained defiant as US President Trump issued a series of threats against the regime as the war concluded a fourth week of hostilities in the region. On Saturday, President Trump threatened to destroy Iran’s energy infrastructure if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz to shipping by Monday. He later backtracked on his comments claiming that America had “very good and productive conversations” with Iranian officials in regards to ending the war. Iranian officials publicly denied talks with the US and the Iranian Speaker of Parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf accused Trump of using false statements to manipulate oil markets. Iranian officials also said that the Strait of Hormuz remained open to shipping that is not linked to the US and its allies. As of Thursday, the US had delivered a 15-point plan to end the war in Iran through the Pakistani government. According Iran state TV, Iran issued its own proposal that called for war reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the strait. This week the US began to deploy 2000 troops from the 82nd Airborne to the Gulf to assist in the campaign. According to the Pentagon the decision to deploy troops to the region is meant to give President Trump options in the war and not part of planned ground invasion. Axios reported that Trump is considering sending another 10,000 combat troops to the region. The US and Israel continued to carry out strikes targeting the Iranian regime, its military, and weapons systems. On Thursday, Israel said that it had killed Iran’s naval commander Alireza Tangsiri, who had reportedly been in charge of Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Israel also said that is had removed Ghalibaf and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi from its “hit list” at the request of Pakistan who is mediating between the US and Iran. Tangsiri is the latest in a line of high-ranking Iranian officials that Israel has killed during the four-week long conflict. Some analysts have questioned Israel’s strategy noting that the regime’s leadership has “institutional layers” under each leader killed. The strategy also risks breeding a new generation of leaders hardened by resistance. Iran continues to fire missiles on Israel and the US’s Gulf allies. The success of some Iranian missile strikes against Israel, such as those targeting Dimona and Arad, suggest that the IDF’s missile defense system may be suffering from fatigue due to the war. According to several reports over the past week, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are considering joining the conflict against Iran. Over the past two weeks Israel focus has shifted toward southern Lebanon as it seeks to dislodge Hezbollah from the territory. On Thursday, Israel continued its invasion of southern Lebanon where it is seeking to establish a buffer zone between its northernmost cities and Hezbollah’s forces. In a social media post, the Israeli Defense Forces said that they are deploying 162nd Division to Lebanon joining two other divisions already operating in foreign territory. Earlier in the week, Israel destroyed bridges across the Litani River, which it claimed Hezbollah had used to move forces and transfer arms into the south of Lebanon. Israel’s far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich called for Israel to annex southern Lebanon during remarks on Sunday. Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called Israel’s actions a threat to Lebanon’s sovereignty. Hezbollah’s Secretary General, Naim Qassem, said that the group would continue fighting Israel “without limits.” Roughly a fifth of Lebanon’s population remains displaced amidst Israel’s continued bombardment of the north.
|
