Media: US-Iran standoff prolonged war of attrition, Israeli official says

An Israeli military source has described the ongoing confrontation between the United States and Iran as a prolonged war of attrition with no clear end, warning that the current strategy risks falling short of its original objectives and could eventually lead Washington to make concessions that concern Israel.

Speaking on condition of anonymity to Al-Monitor, the source said the conflict has settled into a pattern of limited reciprocal attacks rather than decisive military action.

"The Iranians fire at a tanker or two. The Americans bomb relatively insignificant targets in southern Iran but stay away from Tehran and major infrastructure sites. The Iranians retaliate with missiles targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and even Jordan and Oman," he said. "Meanwhile, the US military announces that the strait is open, while the Iranians insist they control the waterway. And so it goes. It’s a low-intensity confrontation that does not serve the main objective for which we went to war."

According to the source, Israeli officials are increasingly concerned that the U.S. administration is choosing to overlook what they see as the reality of the situation on the ground.

The source also suggested that U.S. President Donald Trump is unlikely to pursue another full-scale military campaign before the U.S. midterm elections on November 3. At the same time, the source said Israel believes Tehran will continue carrying out intermittent strikes while avoiding a broader escalation.

Israeli officials are concerned that, if Washington concludes it cannot end the confrontation on its own terms, it could seek a compromise with Iran that would conflict with Israeli interests.

The source suggested that such an outcome could involve the United States accepting a degree of Iranian influence over the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for reducing tensions.

"He could simply decide to accept partial Iranian control of Hormuz, perhaps even some form of Iranian tolls, as long as it allows him to put this nuisance behind him."

By Sabina Mammadli