US intelligence on Thursday indicated that Iran’s leadership is still largely intact and is not at risk of collapse even after two weeks of relentless US and Israeli war, media repoerts stated. Several intelligence reports provided consistent analysis that the regime is not in danger of collapse and “retains control of the Iranian public. The latest report was completed within the last few days.
Trump says he will end war soonย
Even with political pressure building over rising oil costs, US President Donald Trump suggested he will end the biggest US military operation since 2003 “soon.” But finding an acceptable end to the war could be difficult if Iran’s hardline leaders remain firmly entrenched.
The US intelligence report also underscored the cohesion of Iran’s clerical leadership despite the killing of Supreme Leaderย Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on February 28, the first day of the US and Israeli strikes.
On the other hand, the Israeli officials in closed discussions acknowledged that there is no certainty the war will lead to the clerical government’s collapse. The report stressed that the situation on the ground is fluid and that the dynamics inside Iran could change.
Iran targetsย world’s busiest international airport
In the meantime, Iran targeted the world’s busiest international airport on Wednesday and attacked commercial ships as US and Israeli strikes rocked Tehran, while the United Nations’ most powerful body demanded a halt to the Islamic Republic’s strikes on its Gulf neighbours that threaten global oil supplies.
The latest attacks marked an escalation in Iran’s campaign aimed at generating enough global economic pain to pressure the United States and Israel to end the war that started 12 days ago. But there were no signs that the conflict was letting up.
The first week of war with Iran cost the United States USD 11.3 billion, according to the Pentagon, which provided the estimate to Congress in a briefing earlier this week, according to a person familiar with the situation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the private meeting. The military reported spending USD 5 billion on munitions alone in the war’s first weekend.
Both sides have dug in, hoping to outlast the other as the conflict upends trade routes, chokes supplies of fuel and fertiliser coming out of the Gulf and threatens air traffic through one of the world’s most-travelled regions.
Iran has targeted oil fields and refineries in Gulf Arab nations and effectively stopped cargo traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of all traded oil passes. In response, the International Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil, the largest volume of emergency oil reserves in its history, in a bid to counter the war’s effects on energy markets. The US planned to release 172 million barrels of oil next week from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve to combat steep prices.
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