The course of events will affect Washington’s credibility as a stabilising force in the Middle East as it comes under pressure from allies and adversaries, analysts say
The US could find itself dragged into another Middle Eastern war as the strikes could trigger more involvement from the region’s armed groups, they add
Iran’s actions against commercial shipping and efforts to support its “axis of resistance” allies are increasing the prospects for direct US-Iran armed conflict.
Iran and the United States appear to be inching closer toward open warfare, unintentionally, even as officials on both sides try to avoid a broader armed conflict in the region.
Iran and its regional allies appear to be locked into hardline stances in favor of attacking U.S. and allied interests, and U.S. officials are under pressure to respond forcefully.
Latest Developments
China urged Iran to pressure the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen to end their attacks against Red Sea commercial shipping, Iranian sources told Reuters in a January 25 report. Beijing also warned that Chinese-Iranian commerce could suffer if Houthi attacks continue, a potentially potent threat since China remains Iran’s largest trading partner. On January 26, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin affirmed that China is “deeply concerned over the recent rapid escalation of tensions in the Red Sea.” He also said that the United Nations Security Council did not “authorize the use of force” against Yemen — an apparent criticism of recent U.S. and allied strikes against the Houthis.
Given that the U.S. presence is vital for the survival of the AANES, the prospect of withdrawal leaves the entire issue uncertain Akil Mahfouz writes in Athr Press.
While the Autonomous Administration and the SDF exert significant control in eastern Syria, the region faces persistent high levels of perceived threats. The presence of the United States, supporting the Autonomous Administration and opposing Turkey, contributes to this tension. There’s an American interest in forming militias from local tribes, potentially serving as a “partial replacement” along the Euphrates line and the Syria-Iraq border. Forecasts suggest a greater likelihood of violence than resolution in eastern Syria, intensifying tensions between the SDF and Arab tribes in the Euphrates line.
The Pentagon has proposed a plan suggesting that the Syrian Kurdish allies, involved in the campaign against the Islamic State (ISIS), consider forming a partnership with the Syrian regime. This proposal is part of a comprehensive reevaluation of the United States’ Syria policy, currently in progress at the State Department. Notably, input from Turkey, a key NATO ally, is being sought for this review, according to sources “familiar with the discussions” who spoke to Al-Monitor under the condition of anonymity.
Israel faces a growing risk of damaging its peace with neighboring Egypt as its military pushes the offensive against Hamas further south in the Gaza Strip. Already, the two sides are in a dispute over a narrow strip of land between Egypt and Gaza.
En réponse aux nouvelles frappes des avions américains sur l’Irak & le Yémen, la Résistance islamique en Irak a promis de mettre les ports israéliens «hors service» jusqu’à la levée du blocus de Gaza.
Le secrétaire général des Brigades Sayyid al-Shuhada, Abu Ala al-Walaei, a annoncé aux premières heures du 24 janvier le début de la deuxième phase des opérations pro-palestiniennes de la Résistance islamique en Irak (RII), y compris la mise en œuvre d’un blocus naval contre Israël en mer Méditerranée.
Relatives mourn 17-year old American Tawfiq Ajaq at his funeral in his family’s Palestinian home village Al-Mazra’a ash Shaqriya, West Bank, January 20, 2024. Ajaq was killed by Israeli fire. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser)
If what is currently happening in the occupied Palestinian West Bank took place before October 7, our attention would have been completely fixated on that region in Palestine.
Egyptian professor of modern history Mohamed Afifi said in a January 14, 2024 interview on Ten TV (Egypt) that he considers Iran to be an enemy of Egypt. He said that since the times of the ancient Persian Empire, Iran had aspirations to control the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea and the trade routes to Europe through the invasion of Egypt.
Former Iranian Foreign Minister Ali-Akbar Salehi said in a January 22, 2024, interview that aired on Russia Today TV that as long as Israel exists, the confrontation between it and Iran will remain. He added that Iran could never recognize the “plundering Zionist entity,” even if a Palestinian state is established as part of a two-state solution. Salehi added that this confrontation will continue until the “Zionist entity ceases to exist.”