US' renewed airstrikes in Syria, Iraq not to deter Iran
Crisis new divide
ANALYTICS 06 February 2024 - 16:14
Fuad Shahbazov |
The deadly drone attack conducted by the Iranian-backed militant groups on January 28 against the U.S. troops stationed in the Middle East dramatically heightened regional tensions, sparking the risks of igniting the standoff. An umbrella group for Iranian-backed militias, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Following the human casualties among the U.S. military contingent, the Pentagon ordered to conduct a series of retaliatory attacks against Islamic Resistance of Iraq, another major pro-Iranian militant group, in seven sites in Syria and Iraq, marking a sharp escalation of the war in the Middle East that the Biden administration has for four months sought to avoid.
The decision came amid heated debates in the White House on whether to conduct precise strikes on Iranian territories as retaliation or limit the scope of attacks to avoid a wider conflict. President Joe Biden seems reluctant to give the green light to the military for air strikes on Iranian soil as Tehran stated that it will not hesitate to respond if such strikes occur. However, the U.S. military pushes the Biden administration to take strict measures against Iran in addition to air raids of Syrian and Iraqi territories.
The goal is to ensure the U.S. degrades the groups' capabilities to attack American troops and facilities while sending a "strong signal to their backers" in Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Consequently, the frustration of the U.S. regarding the deadly drone attack stirred fears among pro-Iranian militant groups, resulting in Kataib Hezbollah’s decision to suspend all further attacks against the U.S. "in order to prevent the embarrassment of the Iraqi government." Kataib Hezbollah’s announcement did not mention any threat of an American response. But the timing is no coincidence.
Indeed, the U.S. strikes in Iraq and Syria conveyed several messages. Primarily, no attack resulting in the loss of U.S. military personnel will remain without a strong response. The United States may absorb certain attacks that leave damaged infrastructure, but American lives remain a clear red line. Amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, Iran significantly prompted its support to regional proxy forces to exert more pressure on Israel and its Western supporters. The most notorious part about this policy is the destructive actions of the Houthi rebels based in Yemen and frequent attacks on commercial vessels.
However, Iran’s support to Houthis in the Red Sea comes at the cost of rising discontent in India and China as both countries use the Suez Canal for trade operations. As such, Iran may gradually turn down the support for Houthis’ violent attacks in the Red Sea to neutralize potential US-led coalition large-scale operations in the region.
Nevertheless, Iran will unlikely downgrade the support to militants in Iraq as it remains a key direction in terms of national interests. In this context, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq acted as a collective term for pro-Tehran Iraqi militias, allowing them to launch attacks under a single banner. Over time, it evolved to become a front for Iran-backed militias operating beyond Iraq, including those in Syria and Lebanon. Undoubtedly, a primary goal for Iran is to inject uncertainty and indecision into U.S. policymaker deliberations as to how hard we should strike Iran, knowing that there are voices in the U.S. and Europe who will seize any opportunity for diplomacy, even if there is little evidence this will succeed.
While tackling the pro-Iranian militants in Iraq and Syria, the U.S. leads the maritime coalition against Houthi rebels in the Red Sea in an effort to alleviate the fragile security, albeit unsuccessfully. The strikes targeted vital assets such as command and control centers, intelligence facilities, storage locations for rockets, missiles, drones, and logistics and munitions facilities. On February 6, Houthi forces conducted another attack on the U.S. commercial vessel in the Red Sea despite warnings from the U.S. and the U.K. governments.
The U.S. air raids and precise attacks on Iranian targets in the Middle East will generate only short-term impact as these measures are insufficient to isolate Iran diplomatically and economically while squeezing its support for regional proxies. The U.S. needs a renewed strategy against Iran to undermine its influence, deter aggressive regional expansion, and avoid further regional escalation as the broader regional dynamics are complex.
Caliber.Az
1
|
Erdogan hurries Yerevan: Time is running out Expert opinions on Caliber.Az
27 April 2024 - 13:58
|
2
|
Kazakhstan denies sale of military airplanes to Ukraine
28 April 2024 - 14:26
|
3
|
ATACMS for Ukraine Winning the war against Russia
27 April 2024 - 09:45
|
4
|
Azerbaijan's energy offer signals path to normalization with Armenia Amid geopolitical shifts
26 April 2024 - 17:24
|
5
|
Azerbaijan's response to European Parliament resolution A geopolitical analysis
27 April 2024 - 11:11
|
Türkiye neutralizes two terrorists in Northern Syria
29 April 2024 - 14:26
US acquires 81 obsolete Soviet-era combat aircraft from Kazakhstan
PHOTO29 April 2024 - 14:12
Azerbaijan calls on Armenia for clarifying fate of missing people
29 April 2024 - 13:59
Ukrainian forces withdraw from tactical positions amidst Russian advances near Avdiivka
Report by ISW29 April 2024 - 13:46
Azerbaijan - key player in Europe's energy security
EU Reporter article29 April 2024 - 13:32
China firms go “underground” on Russia payments as banks pull back
29 April 2024 - 13:17
How European parties win on populism and govern as business as usual?
Right-wing mirage29 April 2024 - 13:13
State Border Service officer injured in mine explosion in Azerbaijan’s Gazakh
29 April 2024 - 13:03
Azerbaijani, Armenian FMs to meet in Kazakhstan
29 April 2024 - 12:51
French journalist's hunger strike in Yerevan airport over politically driven entry ban
Why are Armenia's friends silent?29 April 2024 - 12:41
Türkiye in talks with ExxonMobil over multibillion-dollar LNG deal
29 April 2024 - 12:38
North Korea installs mines on road within Demilitarized Zone
29 April 2024 - 12:25
Israeli officials believe ICC preparing arrest warrants over war
29 April 2024 - 12:12
Azerbaijani minister congratulates Islamic Development Bank
29 April 2024 - 11:58
Azerbaijan gets new appeals on those missing during Khojaly genocide
29 April 2024 - 11:45
Italian PM announces candidacy at EU election
29 April 2024 - 11:32
Georgia casts doubt on EU membership, citing lack of readiness
29 April 2024 - 11:19
North Korea’s Kim Jong Un seeks to build on Russia's ties to resuscitate economy
29 April 2024 - 11:06
Azerbaijan Army choses best sniper
VIDEO29 April 2024 - 10:59
Trump maintains lead over Biden as views on their presidencies diverge
CNN poll29 April 2024 - 10:52
Azerbaijani ministry’s rep: Negotiations at COP29 to focus on climate finance
29 April 2024 - 10:38
Protestors in Armenia cross motorway with tractors
29 April 2024 - 10:25
Armenian defence ministry issues explosion warning near Azerbaijan border
29 April 2024 - 10:12
Azerbaijan’s Fuzuli residents returning home
PHOTO29 April 2024 - 10:01
Türkiye conducts nationwide anti-terror operation
Dozens arrested/VIDEO29 April 2024 - 09:54
Azerbaijani official describes hosting COP29 as huge responsibility
29 April 2024 - 09:42
Modern Diplomacy: Armenia helps Russia circumvent Western sanctions
29 April 2024 - 09:30
US calls Almaty Declaration basis for delimiting Azerbaijan-Armenia border
29 April 2024 - 09:19
Ammo explosion claims two lives in Azerbaijan’s Nakhchivan
29 April 2024 - 09:10
World’s 100 worst polluted cities - in Asia
83 of them in one country29 April 2024 - 09:00
US returns ancient artefacts looted from Cambodia, Indonesia
29 April 2024 - 08:01
Dubai contemporary artist prides himself on his unique way of working
29 April 2024 - 06:02
World’s 1st stealth submarine capable of 180-degree turn at full speed
29 April 2024 - 04:03
Memorial to be built for Muslim soldiers who fought and died alongside UK troops in World Wars
29 April 2024 - 02:04
Germany grapples with wave of spying threats from Russia and China
29 April 2024 - 00:04
US secretary of state commends Baku-Yerevan border delimitation deal in call with Azerbaijani president
28 April 2024 - 23:01
Russia launches first-of-its-kind helicopter pilot training ship
28 April 2024 - 22:00
Gold watch worn by richest passenger aboard Titanic sells for record-breaking $1.5 million
28 April 2024 - 20:03
Is Macron's vision for European defence feasible?"
Swedish and German experts weigh in28 April 2024 - 19:52
Armenian envoy to EU complains of undermining Russia's interests in the Caucasus
28 April 2024 - 18:02