After 100 days of war, during which the US has failed to win anything, President Trump has suffered yet another humiliation. This time it is more resounding, as it comes from his closest ally, Israel. Israel, with its new air and missile attack against at least five Iranian cities—and energy infrastructure, such as the petrochemical facility in Mahshahr, in southwestern Iran—in response to the preceding Iranian attack, showed that it completely defies the interests of the US and Trump, who had requested restraint.
At the same time, Iran proved that it remains very powerful; it not only struck central and northern Israel with at least 13 missiles and hit Israeli airbases in Nevatim, Tel Nof, and Ramat David, but also announced that it will continue waves of attacks throughout the week and until the enemy stops. But it is not only the military field; it is also the diplomatic one, as Tehran showed with its attacks on Israel that it is the one setting the "red lines" in a potential agreement with the US. It is now clear that the situation in the Middle East has acquired an explosive dynamic, with President Trump not only failing to control developments but also appearing increasingly weak in the face of Israel and Iran.
Sardar Rasoul Sanai-Rad (Iran): Trump has gained nothing
Three months after the start of the conflict between Iran and the US and after 40 days of fierce military operations, one observation is constantly voiced by international officials, political analysts, and even hardline Republicans in the US: Trump has gained no profit from this war. In his statements, Sardar Rasoul Sanai-Rad, political deputy of the Ideological and Political Office of the Supreme Commander of Iran's Armed Forces, argued that "today, not only global public opinion but also observers within the US do not consider Trump the winner of this confrontation. This is due to a tangible reality: Washington has suffered a clear strategic defeat."
"The proclaimed and strategic goals of the US in this war were to force Iran to surrender, lead the country toward disintegration, and destroy the missile, nuclear, and regional capabilities of the Islamic Republic. Today we can say with certainty that the White House has achieved none of these goals," said Sanai-Rad. "Today, the US is facing the great challenge of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, an issue they had not considered in their operational planning. This has significantly increased the international community's pressure on the US war policy," the Iranian official emphasized, noting that this war "is in complete contradiction to Trump's campaign commitments regarding ending wars."
Instead of "America First", we have "Israel First"
"Trump promised that he would focus on domestic problems and promote the slogan 'America First', but in practice, he started a new, costly, and destructive conflict, with many Americans believing that the slogan has turned into 'Israel First'," stressed Sanai-Rad, pointing out that although in the past Western media dominated the battle of the narrative, "this time Trump, despite all the propaganda, failed to convince public opinion. This communication failure is directly linked to his unstable, narcissistic, and now exposed personality."
"Americans are experts in psychological warfare and in creating false narratives that are far from reality. This time, however, the repetition of events on the ground and the increased awareness of citizens led to a gradual awakening regarding what they call a corrupt mafia group ruling the White House. Today, their fabricated narratives are no longer convincing, and they have lost ground in the field of communication confrontation," the Iranian official underscored.
Israel struck a petrochemical facility in Khuzestan, southwestern Iran
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced that Israel carried out attacks against targets on Iranian soil using air-launched ballistic missiles. According to the Mehr agency, the IRGC announced that "the Zionist enemy, using air-launched ballistic missiles, proceeded with attacks against targets on the territory of our country." Also, the Fars agency reported that the Karun Mahshahr Petrochemical Company, in Khuzestan province in southwestern Iran, was struck by Israeli attacks that caused "some damage." According to the same reports, the strike caused limited material damage to the facilities, with no further details immediately known about the impact or any casualties. The attack was also confirmed by the Israeli military.
Revolutionary Guards: We struck Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases
The Revolutionary Guards launched two waves of attacks against Israel and announced that they struck Israel's Nevatim and Tel Nof airbases in response to Israeli attacks on various radar positions in three parts of Iran. It is noted that the Guards had announced that they also struck the Ramat David airbase with ballistic missiles, which, they claim, was the starting point for the attacks against the southern suburbs of Beirut. The IRGC and other military officials claim that the attacks against Israel were a warning strike. This suggests that we are facing a controlled escalation, although it is unclear what may follow. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that warning sirens were activated at the Zikim military base in the Gaza Strip.
IRGC: We control Israel's airspace
Hossein Mohebi, a spokesperson for the IRGC, stated that it has been proven once again that the airspace of Israel and the wider region is under the influence and control of the missiles of the IRGC Aerospace Force. "For the umpteenth time, we have proven that the sky of the occupied territories and the region is under our own will and under the sovereignty of the roar of the destructive missiles of the IRGC Aerospace Force," said Mohebi.
A harsh warning
The Iranians declare that if the Israelis continue to attack Lebanon and particularly the Dahiyeh area of Beirut, then they will react and retaliate. At the same time, they warn that if there are new Israeli attacks, Iran's response will be "painful and overwhelming." In a statement, the Revolutionary Guards maintained that "waves of missiles and drones will continue to be launched around the clock for the next seven days, until the enemy is deterred and stops its crimes." Simultaneously, they warned that "any strike against Iranian soil will be met with a destructive and overwhelming response, beyond any expectation."
Serious problems in Israel's missile defense
As Iranian officials claim, Iran struck all of Israel from Galilee in the north to the depths of the Negev in the south, reporting that the area was targeted by multiple offensive weapon systems of the Islamic Republic of Iran. The successive explosions in Israeli military centers showed, according to a report by Mehr, that Israel's multilayered anti-missile system faced serious operational difficulties. Missiles were launched from Iran toward the southern and central parts of Israel.
Strong explosions in Jerusalem
Israeli media reported that alarm sirens sounded in the northern and central parts of the country after the start of the new Iranian missile attack. Journalistic sources also reported that successive and particularly strong explosions were heard throughout Israel, especially in Jerusalem and also in Tel Aviv. Also, damage to several homes was reported in an Israeli settlement in the West Bank after the fall of an Iranian missile fragment, according to rescue services. No injuries have been reported from the incident. The IDF announced that it shot down all the missiles that Iran launched against Israel earlier today, Monday, June 8, and that the object that fell in the West Bank was likely a fragment of a missile that had been intercepted. So far, there are no reports of injuries.
Target: 5 cities in Iran
During Israel's attack against Iran, targets were struck in Tehran as well as in the cities of Tabriz, Isfahan, Kermanshah, and Karaj. The IDF announced that it carried out strikes against targets they described as military in central and western Iran. In his statements, Israel's ambassador to the US, Yechiel Leiter, stated that the Israeli military struck surface-to-surface missile launch sites in Iran, as well as infrastructure unrelated to the energy sector.
Ali Safari (Iran): Response to Israel's attacks and ceasefire violation
An official from the Iranian Foreign Ministry emphasized that the recent operation of the Iranian armed forces was carried out as a response to the continuation of the Israeli regime's attacks and ceasefire violations. Ali Safari, an advisor to the spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said that Iran's recent missile response was carried out after more than a month of restraint in the face of ceasefire violations and the continuation of the Israeli regime's attacks. "Lebanon was a key part of the ceasefire agreement, and this agreement had to be implemented simultaneously in Iran and Lebanon.
However, the Israeli regime violated the agreement by continuing its attacks in southern Lebanon and threatening the southern suburbs of Beirut," said Safari. As he argued, Iran's armed forces carried out a defensive attack against the Israeli regime as a reaction to these actions. According to Safari, Israel's attacks in recent weeks have crossed "red lines" and led to the commission of crimes in Lebanon. "The evidence shows that Washington, by its silence in the face of the Israeli regime's actions and even by giving it the 'green light', has created the conditions for the continuation of these attacks," Safari underlined, stressing: "If the US is serious in negotiations, then the attacks against Lebanon and hostile actions against Iran must stop."
Israel Hayom (Israeli newspaper): The attack on Iran was done in coordination between Israel and the US
The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, citing sources, claimed that the Israeli regime's attack against targets in Iran was carried out in coordination with the US. This claim is made despite the fact that the White House had previously denied any involvement in the attack. However, there is no independent confirmation of this specific claim so far.
Houthis: Full navigation ban for Israel in the Red Sea
At the same time, the Houthis announced a full navigation ban for Israel in the Red Sea. According to the Tasnim agency, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, a spokesperson for the Houthis, announced that a full ban on Israeli navigation in the Red Sea is in effect, adding that any Israeli movement will be considered a military target and will be struck. Yahya Saree also stated that a sensitive target belonging to the Israeli regime was hit in Jaffa, while he maintained that the Yemeni Armed Forces will respond dynamically to any escalation and that their operations will intensify according to developments on the battlefield and in coordination with the "Axis of Jihad and Resistance."
Chris Murphy (US Senator): Israel humiliated the US and Trump with the attack on Iran
US Senator Chris Murphy stated that Israel humiliated Trump by launching attacks against Iran, despite his call for restraint. "This war has been humiliating for Trump and for American power in general. And when Trump announces that he will call Netanyahu to ask him not to retaliate, and within a few hours Netanyahu proceeds with retaliation, the humiliation becomes even greater," Murphy wrote in a post on X. The Democratic senator emphasized that Trump has lost control of the conflict and criticized the "blatant incompetence" of the American president.
Iran sets red lines, Israel defies Trump
In the same vein is Negar Mortazavi, a senior researcher at the Center for International Policy, who stated that Iran is seeking a comprehensive regional peace agreement that will also include Lebanon's Hezbollah, following the principle of "together in war, together in peace." However, for Trump, Lebanon "is not that important, and the US would like to decouple it from the peace process," the analyst noted. According to Mortazavi, Iran's decision to attack northern Israel, in response to Israeli attacks in Beirut, was an attempt to enforce this "red line." "They want to ensure that Lebanon remains connected to the process—again, together in war and together in peace. And this was the demonstration on Iran's part that these are not just threats, but that it is willing to take this risk and even proceed to the next level of escalation," Mortazavi stated. At the same time, the Israeli retaliation raises questions regarding Trump's claim that he is the one who determines developments. "The Israelis are essentially defying what President Trump stated to the media just a few hours ago," she said. "So, ultimately, it all comes down to the general picture: Iran is seeking to include its allies—Hezbollah and Lebanon—in the process, while the US is hesitant to acknowledge this and restrain Israel, so that a peace process can move forward."
Huckabee (US Ambassador to Israel): The metropolis of Satan is in Tehran
Mike Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, commented on the resurgence of hostilities, criticizing Iran for the missile attacks it launched against Israel overnight. "Iran and its proxies of evil want to incinerate America and Israel," Huckabee wrote in a post on the platform X. He also added that "the metropolis of Satan is in Tehran."
Trita Parsi (Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft): Trump must restrict military support to Israel
Trita Parsi, co-founder of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, stated that Trump must do more than just make phone calls if he wants to keep Netanyahu aligned with US interests. "If you want to stop Netanyahu, if you want to make him comply with the interests of the American president and the US, you cannot achieve it just with a phone call," he stated. "Measures must be taken that will restrict Israel's freedom of movement and essentially strip it of the ability to carry out attacks against Iran," said Parsi, who identified two key pressure points: Israel's access to American intelligence and the multilayered network of air defense and anti-missile defense that is supported by the US. "Without active American support, Netanyahu cannot conduct these types of operations. Therefore, the issue is for Trump to withdraw this support from Netanyahu, in order to force him to follow the wishes of the US," Parsi concluded.
www.bankingnews.gr
Σχόλια αναγνωστών