By Hozan Zubeir
Erbil, KRI, Iraq (North Press) – The Iranian threat to US sites in the Middle East has escalated via its proxies, following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, according to an expert in international relations.
In response to the ongoing conflict between Hamas and Israel Defense Forces in Gaza, the US promptly dispatched aircraft carriers to eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The objective of this deployment, as emphasized by Washington, is to discourage any “hostile acts” against Israel or any attempts to escalate the scope of this war.
This comes amid US focus on what it has described as the growing cooperation between Russia and Iran, extending from the Gulf to Syria.
Dr. Omar Abdulsattar, a former Iraqi MP and an expert in international relations, believes that the winners, in a descending order, in the escalating war between Hamas and Israel are Iran, Russia, and Hezbollah.
On the other hand, he said, the first, second and third losers are the US, Israel, and allied nations, including Gulf States, respectively.
The expert further stated that regardless of the war’s outcome, it appears that Iran is the key player in this conflict, which is evident from ongoing negotiations with Iran concerning the hostages held by Hamas. The US president, on the other hand, “seems rather disengaged.”
Following his visits to Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon, Iran’s Foreign Minister, Hussein Amir Abdullahian, met with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Qatar and agreed to continue cooperation in the region.
The Iraqi expert did not rule out the possibility of a potential confrontation with Iran, emphasizing the significant cost for the US. Even if Hamas were removed from Gaza, the complex dynamics of Iran’s expanding influence in the region, coupled with its collaboration with Russia, pose challenges.
According to Abdulsattar, the deployment of aircraft carriers aims to form a coalition and demonstrate unity with allies, including Gulf countries, rather than engage directly in combat, as a response to Iranian threats.
Kenneth Franklin McKenzie Jr., the commander of US Central Command, previously warned of collaboration and complicity between Russia and Iran, particularly in Syrian airspace, amid ongoing tensions in the Gulf region.
Abdulsattar further explained that US sites “will remain targets for Iran, whether in Syria, Iraq, or in the Persian Gulf and other areas hosting US bases.”
In recent months, there have been a series of rocket attacks targeting American sites in northeast Syria. In response, the US has taken several measures, including deploying aircraft carriers to the Persian Gulf.
According to the Iraqi researcher, Iran has not changed and continues to pose a threat. The freezing of normalization talks between Saudi Arabia and Israel and the postponement of the US-Saudi defense pact which hinges on Saudi Arabia recognizing Israel as an independent state all are considered an ‘Iranian victory’.
While Iran avoids direct involvement in the region, it openly supports Hamas and Hezbollah. Iran has repeatedly warned through its foreign minister of the expansion of the conflict’s zone.
However, what is noteworthy is that the region is witnessing a battle in which the US is engaged without direct combat, similar to the ongoing war between Ukraine (backed by the US) and Russia. “In this way, Washington manages its war against its adversaries to maintain the US’ position and leadership in the international order, contrary to the desires of Russia and China for a global war,” Abdulsattar concluded.