The former head of the British foreign intelligence service MI6, Alex Younger, sees the United States at a disadvantage in the conflict with Iran. The United States underestimated the strength of its adversary and lost the initiative about two weeks ago. The Iranian regime has proven more resilient than expected.
Younger considers strategic measures by the Iranian leadership to be decisive, including the dispersal of military capabilities and the delegation of decision-making authority for the use of weapons. This approach has significantly increased resilience against the intensive air campaign.
At the same time, according to Younger, Tehran is pursuing a so-called horizontal escalation, expanding missile strikes against targets within its range. This strategy indirectly increases pressure on the United States. Iran has also recognized the importance of the energy sector, threatened the Strait of Hormuz, and internationalized the conflict in order to gain additional leverage.
While the conflict is a war of choice for the United States, it is a matter of survival for Iran. This situation gives Tehran greater staying power and provides it with a strategic advantage.
Even a nearly flawless air campaign cannot fully eliminate the threat as long as Iran retains drone stockpiles, of which even about ten percent would be sufficient to continue threatening the Strait of Hormuz
Source: TASS
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