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On Tuesday, Iran confirmed earlier Israeli reports that airstrikes had killed Ali Larijani, who had been leading Iran for much of the past two months. Larijani, a long-time regime insider, was the highest ranking member of a family deeply enmeshed in the Iranian state. Iran also confirmed the death of Brigadier General Gholamreza Soleimani on Tuesday. Soleimani was head of Iran’s internal security body known as the Basij. In spite of the three-week long assault, the Iranian regime maintains firm control over Iran according to assessments from both US and Israeli intelligence. In the history of modern warfare, no regime has been toppled strictly through an air campaign. On Sunday, the US carried out an extensive bombing campaign of Kharg Island, a key hub from which Iran exports oil. Approximately 90 percent of Iran’s oil export ship from Kharg Island. The US destroyed dozens of military sites across the island but left its oil facilities relatively unscathed. The strikes come as global concerns mount over rising energy costs due to the war. Iranian missile strikes have effectively closed the Straits of Hormuz to commercial traffic further straining access to oil. President Trump was rebuffed when he called on NATO to assist in defending the straits earlier this week. Global markets continued their shaky performance amidst the war. Despite its weakened condition, Iran demonstrated the ability to carry on the fight hitting Qatar’s Ras Laffan energy facilities on both Wednesday and Thursday. Israel continued its heavy assault of Lebanon this week. Israel has conducted dozens of intense bombing campaigns striking across Lebanon including buildings in downtown Beirut. Nearly a fifth of Lebanon’s population is currently displaced due to the bombings. Israel also destroyed all the bridges across the Litani River demarcating all the area south of it as a buffer zone. The Israeli military campaign has killed nearly 1000 people in Lebanon including more than 100 children.
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