The U.S. has been fortifying its positions in the Middle East in preparation for a direct war with Iran as Israel continues to destroy Gaza, choke off Gazans from life-saving aid, and prepare for a ground invasion that could result in Iranian proxies joining the conflict.
Sergey Lavrov, Russia’s top diplomat, told reporters that Israel’s war with Hamas risks becoming a full-fledged regional crisis—noting how Western countries have blamed Iranian influence on the conflict without any evidence.
Shortly after Hamas carried out a major military attack on Israel, Western countries pinned blame on Iran, despite having no concrete evidence that Tehran was involved and early reports that Iranian leaders were just as surprised about the attack as Tel Aviv.
The U.S. and Israel are preparing to come together—once again—to practice attacking Iranian targets in the next few months that will simulate responding to a multi-front missile attack from Iran and separate attacks on nuclear facilities, according to a report.
Iran has fortified its naval forces in the Strait of Hormuz with long-range missiles and drones after reports that Washington is set to put Marines on commercial ships sailing through the key oil waterway—which is seen as the latest escalation between the two countries.
Iran’s government is facing its biggest challenge in decades after deadly protests broke out across the country after a woman’s death in morality police custody grew into a larger movement that threatens Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s grip on the country.
Benny Gantz, the outgoing Israeli defense minister, said in an interview last week that Tel Aviv has the military power to wipe out Tehran’s nuclear facilities, but should only carry out such an attack as a last resort.
For weeks, the youth in Iran have faced a violent crackdown by security forces for participating in widespread protests over the death of a woman while in the custody of the country’s so-called “morality police.”
Iran’s seven week long protests continued to rage across the country after the death of a 22-year-old woman while in “morality police” custody in September, and intensified in the northwestern region of the country after the death of a Kurdish student.
Thousands of college students clashed with Iranian authorities on Sunday throughout the country in another day of unrest after the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in “morality police” custody in September for allegedly not abiding by the country’s dress code.