This article is from: srnnews.com
(AP) – Six months into the U.S. conflict with Iran, President Donald Trump says American and allied forces have achieved major military gains, even as the administration works to turn those battlefield successes into a lasting agreement.
Trump initially predicted the war would last four to five weeks. But the administration has shifted from sustained strikes toward economic pressure and diplomacy.
The White House says the strategy reflects a position of strength. U.S. and Israeli operations have sharply reduced Iran’s military capabilities, damaged its defense-industrial base and weakened its ability to threaten American forces and regional allies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told lawmakers that Iran’s defense industry had suffered between 80 and 90 percent attrition and could take years to rebuild. He said Iran had lost much of its ability to launch large-scale drone attacks, and that its navy had effectively been reduced to small vessels capable of harassment and mine-laying.
President Trump has gone further, saying Iran’s navy and air force are “totally gone.”
The administration also says the United States quickly established air superiority over Iran, allowing American and Israeli aircraft to operate largely without opposition. U.S. Central Command has continued targeting missile and drone launch sites, air-defense systems, command centers, coastal surveillance facilities and communications networks.
Those operations have changed the strategic balance in the Middle East, but several of Trump’s original objectives remain unresolved.
One of the most urgent is keeping open the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping route through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil normally passes. Iran’s efforts to use the waterway as an economic chokepoint have driven up prices for fuel and fertilizer, increasing pressure on American consumers and farmers.
Trump has repeatedly said the strait is open or functioning, despite continued reports of attacks and disruptions. In a recent radio interview, he said occasional drones or rockets did not mean the waterway had ceased operating.
The administration has proposed linking a broader agreement with Iran to the reopening of the strait and an end to the U.S. blockade of Iranian ports. Trump has also suggested that the United States could impose terms, including possible tolls, to ensure safe passage for international shipping.
Another unresolved issue is Iran’s nuclear program.
Last year, Trump declared that U.S. strikes had “obliterated” Iran’s nuclear capabilities. But officials continue to face questions about an estimated 970 pounds of enriched uranium believed to be buried beneath sites targeted by American and Israeli forces.
Trump has said the material should be retrieved and destroyed in coordination with Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran has not agreed to that proposal, and experts say removing the stockpile without Tehran’s consent could require a major military operation.
A June memorandum of understanding reportedly called for Iran to abandon the pursuit of nuclear weapons and dilute its highly enriched uranium. However, negotiations broke down before many details could be settled.
The administration has also sought to weaken Iran-backed militant groups. Early U.S. strikes targeted militia forces in Iraq, while American diplomacy helped produce an agreement for Israeli forces to leave southern Lebanon in exchange for Hezbollah’s disarmament. Hezbollah has rejected direct talks and refuses to give up its weapons.
Trump’s Republican allies argue that the campaign has demonstrated the value of decisive military action followed by economic and diplomatic pressure. Democrats and critics counter that the war has lasted far longer than promised.
The White House says the United States now holds the leverage needed to secure a stronger deal—one that protects American forces, supports Israel and other allies, and prevents Iran from rebuilding its military and nuclear capabilities.
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