Tensions rise in the Middle East as Washington targets militants in Iraq, Syria, and Yemen
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The United States has warned of further action against Iranian-aligned militants following two waves of strikes, marking its most significant offensive since the Israel-Hamas conflict ignited regional hostilities. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan emphasized that Friday’s strikes against targets linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards and militias in Iraq and Syria were “the beginning, not the end” of the US response.
These strikes, targeting 85 locations across seven facilities, came in retaliation for a drone attack near the Jordanian-Syrian border that killed three American soldiers. The Biden administration followed up with a second wave of strikes on Saturday against Houthi rebels in Yemen, who have been attacking commercial ships and US vessels in the Red Sea.
“We intend to take additional strikes and additional action to continue to send a clear message that the United States will respond when our forces are attacked, or people are killed,” Sullivan declared on NBC. He claimed the strikes effectively degraded the militants’ capabilities to target US forces.
These back-to-back assaults signal a ramped-up response by the Biden administration to militant attacks on American interests in the region. While President Biden has stressed his desire to avoid full-blown conflict, the strikes highlight the precarious balancing act he faces: deterring aggression through military action while pursuing diplomatic solutions to contain hostilities.
Washington faces pressure to respond to Iranian-backed attacks but calibrates its response to avoid escalating tensions and further entrenching US troops in combat. Since mid-October, Iranian-aligned militants have launched over 160 rocket and drone attacks against US personnel in Iraq and Syria, where roughly 2,500 and 900 troops are deployed, respectively, to combat the resurgence of ISIS.
The Houthis, meanwhile, have disrupted crucial maritime trade routes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden with dozens of attacks on merchant vessels. In a joint statement, the US, UK, and six other nations emphasized their intent to de-escalate tensions and restore regional stability, reiterating their warning to the Houthis of continued action to defend lives and free trade.
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However, the Houthis vowed not to be deterred, asserting that the strikes would “not pass without a response and consequences.” The US military, further intensifying the situation, launched another “self-defense” strike on Sunday against a Houthi anti-ship missile being prepared for launch.
These recent developments mark a significant escalation in the ongoing saga of US responses to Iranian-aligned attacks. Friday’s strikes were the largest in three months and the first to target facilities linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. Iran and Iraq condemned the strikes, with the latter claiming 16 casualties, including civilians, and warning of potential regional instability.
Sullivan, however, denied any civilian casualties, while Iran’s foreign ministry accused the US of contributing to chaos and instability. Despite Tehran’s public stance of not seeking direct conflict with the US, Israel, or a regional war, they continue to praise the actions of their backed groups while condemning Israel and the US.
Notably, Iran has not reported any casualties from the US strikes or issued threats of retaliation. “Iran’s strategic policy has been no war with the US, and it has definitely not changed,” said Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a former Iranian reformist vice-president.
Both the Houthis and the militants in Iraq and Syria belong to Iran’s “Axis of Resistance.” They claim their attacks are retaliation for Israel’s offensive against Hamas in Gaza, which Palestinian officials allege has killed over 27,000 people. Meanwhile, Hezbollah, Iran’s powerful proxy in Lebanon, has engaged in near-daily fire exchanges with Israeli forces, raising concerns of a broader conflict.
The Israel-Hamas war erupted after an attack by the Palestinian group on southern Israel on October 7, which, according to Israel, killed around 1,200 people. Emile Hokayem, director of regional security at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, warned of the risk of the US becoming trapped in a “cycle of tit for tat.”
He acknowledged the US could still prevent this cycle from escalating into full-blown war, but cautioned that it would “overtime erode its position in the region, which we already see in Iraq.” Hokayem argued that US enemies possess options, time, and space to escalate tensions while garnering support due to outrage over the Gaza war. He concluded that the only way for the US to break this cycle is to swiftly pursue a diplomatic track to end the Israel-Hamas conflict.
The rising tensions in the Middle East create a complex and volatile situation. As the US continues its strikes against Iranian-backed militants, the potential for further escalation and regional instability remains a pressing concern.