Shafaq News- Washington

The current US strikes on Iran are part of the “escalation for de-escalation” strategy, aimed at restoring deterrence by weakening Tehran’s offensive capabilities rather than toppling the Islamic regime, Rob Arlett, a Republican leader and former campaign manager for President Donald Trump, told Shafaq News on Saturday.

Arlett noted that direct US involvement shortens operational timelines through superior intelligence and striking power, while also raising political stakes and increasing the likelihood of responses from Tehran’s allies or unconventional channels.

Arguing that Washington’s withdrawal from the combat zone is not tied to territorial gains, he stressed that the war’s outcome will hinge on measurable reductions in Iran’s missile and drone capabilities, halting attacks on US and Israeli interests, and enforcing operational limits to prevent uncontrolled escalation.

Arlett mapped out two potential scenarios: Iran could yield to pressure, triggering a rapid cooling of hostilities under new deterrence conditions, or the region could enter a prolonged cycle of containment and retaliatory strikes, putting regional stability to an open test.

Members of the US Congress reacted swiftly to the military action. Mark Warner, a senator from Virginia, described the strikes as “a deeply consequential decision that risks pulling the United States into another broad conflict in the Middle East.” Meanwhile, David Janovsky of the non-partisan Project on Government Oversight (Pogo) maintained that Congress alone holds the authority to declare war, denouncing Trump’s war announcement as another flagrant abuse of power by the administration.

Earlier today, coordinated US and Israeli strikes targeted sites inside Iran, cited by Washington as measures against “imminent threats from the Iranian regime.” In retaliation, Tehran, according to the IRGC, launched missile and drone strikes on Israel and US military bases in Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Media outlets also reported attacks on bases in Saudi Arabia and Iraqi Kurdistan.

For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington D.C.

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