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Iran's terrorist organization is currently in a critical situation. After seeing its missile attack against Israel fail again due to Israel's strong defenses, Iran is now expecting an Israeli counterattack.
National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Tuesday, October 1, “This attack will have serious consequences, and we will work with Israel to achieve them.'' President Joe said the G7 countries agree that Israel has the right to fight back. Biden added Wednesday.
Iran wants blood. But they are running out of options. More than 40,000 U.S. troops are already deployed to U.S. Central Command in the Middle East, from Syria to the Red Sea. Three more squadrons of F-15Es, F-16s and A-10s are headed to U.S. Central Command, joining stealth F-22s, F-35s and others already deployed in the region.
Trump says Iranian president is under UN security guard during assassination plot 'strange situation'
The aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln is launching jets day and night, and the USS Wasp, carrying a Marine expeditionary force, is in the Eastern Mediterranean. The submarine USS Georgia, which is equipped with 154 Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, and a group of US Navy destroyers are also nearby.
Numerous rockets are seen fired from Iran over Jerusalem from Hebron in the West Bank on October 1, 2024. The Israeli military announced that missiles were fired from Iran toward Israel and sirens were heard across the country, especially in Tel Aviv. (Wissam Hashramoon/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Please make no mistake. This is enough firepower to hit many types of targets in Iran. I assure you, Iranian military units are scrambling to prepare. Be extremely careful when using your mobile phone.
Whatever action is taken, the goal will be to weaken and contain Iran. Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah are under attack. However, this conflict will not end as long as the Ayatollah remains in power over the Iranian people. The gang has been in the ideological and terrorist business for almost 50 years and will not operate in silence.
Note that a desperate Iran will consider six moves (including two here in the US).
1. Enhanced nuclear enrichment
Already in major violation of the UN inspection regime, Iran announced in July that it would install more than 1,400 centrifuges at the Fordow underground facility. “Iran has reached a point where it can not only produce nuclear weapons on demand, but also rapidly produce large quantities of WGU (weapons grade uranium) in enrichment plants that are extremely difficult to destroy,” said expert David Albright. pointed out. The best case is that Iran's new president wants more enriched uranium as a bargaining chip. The worst case scenario is that three to five nuclear warheads are produced rapidly.
2. Retaliation against American forces
Many of the recent deployments, directed by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, have increased security against direct attacks from Iran, such as the January 2020 ballistic missile attack on U.S. military personnel at Iraqi bases. U.S. outposts will be on alert for attack attempts by Iranian-backed militias.
3. More Houthi attacks
The Houthis, supplied by Iran, will continue to threaten shipping in the Red Sea. Iran is also working on a deal in which Russia would supply the Houthis with improved P-800 “Onyx” anti-ship missiles.
4. New missile attack on Israel
Even after the tactical failures of April 13 and October 1, there are fears of further missile attacks from Iran. Fortunately, the U.S. Navy destroyers USS Cole and USS Bulkeley launched interceptors from the eastern Mediterranean in response to the Iranian attack. This is sweet revenge for the USS Cole, which was nearly sunk by al-Qaeda terrorists in Yemen in 2000, killing 17 sailors and injuring 37 others.
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Beyond this, U.S. Central Command has assembled powerful defensive and offensive capabilities and is beginning to play a new role as a deterrent. This is a necessary troop deployment to deter an Iranian attack if Iran were to deploy nuclear weapons. Iranian leaders need to get the message across: any nuclear-armed missiles Iran builds in the future will not be able to pass.
An Iranian holds up a photo of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei during an anti-Israel protest in Tehran on September 27, 2024. Iran is at risk of full-scale conflict as violence between Israel and Hezbollah escalates. (AFP via Getty Images)
Two more threats from Iran could be aimed directly at the US
5. Iran has long aspired to launch cyberattacks on the United States.
The FBI says threat indicators are skyrocketing. In early September, the FBI warned that Iran was targeting U.S. hospitals and health care. Don't forget that in 2013, Iran nearly opened the Bowman Avenue Dam in Rye, New York. As it happened, the flood gates were down for maintenance. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's 2023 Bulletin warned that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps group “CyberAv3ngers” continues to target wastewater management systems. No one knows what cyber tricks Iran has learned from Russia.
6. Assassinate a US leader
The director of national intelligence briefed former president and Republican candidate Donald J. Trump on a “real and concrete threat” of assassination. “I'm surrounded by more people, more guns, more weapons than I've ever seen,” President Trump posted on Truth Social last week. Sadly, violence against American leaders fits Iran's strategy.
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Whatever action is taken, the goal will be to weaken and contain Iran. Iranian proxies Hamas and Hezbollah are under attack. However, this conflict will not end as long as the Ayatollah remains in power over the Iranian people. The gang has been engaged in ideological and terrorist activities for almost 50 years and will not operate in silence.
Rest assured that the United States and our allies stand ready to counter all of these options.
Whatever violence Iran unleashes next, remember that China is also responsible. China buys nearly 90% of Iranian oil in what the Atlantic Council calls the “Axis of Avoidance,” and Chinese support is enabling Iran's deadly mayhem.
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