But Iran "still has a large arsenal of short and medium range missiles that can easily hit US bases in the Middle East, as well as cruise missiles and drones that it would likely use to try and target US ships," added Horowitz. It is unclear if the end goal of possible US military action in Iran is regime change, to encourage defections in the armed forces and political elite, to impede the ability of the security forces to suppress street protests, or bring a weakened Tehran to the negotiating table. "Airpower can punish and paralyze, but it would need a simultaneous political fracture on the ground, both a resumption in protests and divisions within the Iranian leadership, to really deliver a full collapse of Iran's security forces or regime," he added.
Author: RFE/RL staff
Published at: 2026-01-28 21:00:00
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