NYT: Iran shifts tactics as US-Israeli bombing campaign intensifies

The Iranian military is adjusting its tactics as the US-Israeli bombing campaign intensifies, senior American defence officials told the New York Times, even as the administration of Donald Trump maintains that the United States is winning the war.

According to US military officials and defence experts, in the 12 days since the war began Iran has shifted its focus toward targeting key American air defence and radar systems across the region. Iranian-backed militias have also carried out attacks on locations associated with US forces, including hotels where American troops were staying.

One militia group in Iraq launched a swarm of drones at an upscale hotel in Erbil, a move that a senior US military official said demonstrated Tehran’s awareness that the Pentagon had been housing personnel in hotels in the region.

Three US officials said Iran appeared to have accepted that it could not match the United States and Israel in terms of firepower. However, they assessed that by withstanding sustained strikes, Tehran could frame its survival as a form of victory.

Defence officials and experts further believe that Iranian forces are concentrating on perceived American vulnerabilities, particularly interceptors and air defence systems designed to protect US troops and assets. They said Tehran’s strategy suggests a calculated effort to exploit gaps in regional defences rather than engage in direct firepower competition.

Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Iran’s tactics had evolved during the course of the fighting, noting that in warfare initial plans rarely unfold as expected. He said missile strikes had decreased by 90 per cent and the launch of disposable drones by 83 per cent.

Pentagon officials added that Iran still retains roughly half of its missile stockpiles and launchers, while the United States lacks complete intelligence on all Iranian military positions. Military analysts assess that Tehran is likely preserving some capabilities for potential strikes on high-value targets, including American radar installations, and that its conduct does not indicate a regime in disarray.

By Sabina Mammadli