After a fortnight since the American-Israeli aggression against Iran started, their Operation Epic Fury is turning more into an epic blunder. Instead of the anticipated quick victory, Iran has refused to capitulate. Despite the decapitation of its top leadership and unprecedented devastation, Iran has retaliated by resorting to asymmetrical warfare and horizontal escalation, targeting American and Israeli assets as well as American regional allies apart from blocking the Strait of Hurmuz, thereby choking the world's vital oil supply route with global economic implications. This has induced confusion in American strategy — whether to escalate or find a face-saving exit from the war.

Since the start there has been no clarity in the Trump Administration's objectives. These have ranged from the unrealistic to the ridiculous. Initially, regime change was touted as a goal based on totally incorrect assumptions that once Supreme Leader Khamenei and his senior colleagues were assassinated, the Iranian regime would collapse. In reality, the multi-intuitional regime is too deeply entrenched for that to happen and has demonstrated its capacity for survival by not only appointing Khamenei's son as his successor but also by effectively fighting back.

The claim about destroying Iran's nuclear capability is also untenable since Trump himself claimed having "obliterated" it in strikes last June. Besides, in negotiations that the US itself terminated by attacking Iran on 28 February, the Iranians had reportedly agreed to downblend their enriched........

© The Express Tribune