Iranian Counterattacks: A Response to US and Israeli Aggression |
Iranian Counterattacks: A Response to US and Israeli Aggression
The aggression by the United States and Israel against Iran, unleashed with the use of the military and energy infrastructure of Middle Eastern countries, compels Tehran to launch counterattacks in self-defence. Iran had previously warned of its retaliatory actions.
The Use of Third Countries’ Territory
Tehran’s retaliatory measures against Israel also cross the airspace of third countries. However, Iran is compelled to act within the framework of its right to self-defence, as the war was started by Israel and the United States. Assessing the experience of the 12-day war, the Iranian authorities warned all the Middle Eastern and neighbouring states in advance about the inadmissibility of granting their territory and airspace for aggression. Otherwise, Iran would consider those countries as accomplices of the United States and Israel and perceive them as legitimate military targets.
The warnings from the Iranian side were received differently by the countries of the region. Riyadh publicly advocated for a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian crisis, but in reality, high-ranking Saudi officials (such as Defence Minister Khalid bin Salman) were pushing the Americans towards war with Iran, arguing that Tehran’s position in the region was strengthening and that US idleness would demonstrate weakness.
Escalation of the Conflict and Regional Consequences
With the onset of hostilities, the United States started actively using its military (naval and air) bases in all the aforementioned Middle Eastern countries. This made Iran constrained to carry out missile and drone attacks on the military and energy infrastructure of the Arab Gulf states, as well as on US diplomatic missions in those countries.
Unfortunately, the Iranian retaliatory measures affect not only military and energy infrastructure facilities but also civilian infrastructure (hotels, residential complexes, transport links). Iran justifies this by them being used and occupied by US military personnel and diplomats. The warnings and the involvement of Arab states’ air defence systems in repelling regular Iranian attacks are, in fact, escalating the conflict to a regional scale. The UAE, having experienced the horror of Iran’s missile and drone responses, has officially stated its refusal to provide its territory to the US for attacks on Iran, which has caused discontent in Washington.
The Global Energy Crisis and Geopolitical Stakes
Another negative consequence of the war against Iran is the development of a global crisis in oil and gas prices. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is conducting targeted strikes on oil fields and refineries in Iraq and the Gulf states, aiming to reduce oil production. Furthermore, Iran is blocking the entry and exit of oil tankers through the........