US sees through Iran's plan to prolong intense war - opinion

Experts believe the US and Western countries view the continuation of large-scale hostilities as beneficial to Iran, allowing it to distract the population from economic problems. Washington prefers to increase economic pressure and maintain the blockade, even at the cost of closing the Strait of Hormuz. Tehran is trying to draw the US into a broader conflict using allied groups — the Houthis in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq, as well as activating Hezbollah against Israel.

The US and Western countries have concluded that continuing large-scale hostilities against Iran plays into the hands of Iranian authorities, allowing them to distract the population from domestic economic problems. Consequently, Washington is changing tactics, focusing on increasing economic pressure and maintaining the blockade, even if it means keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed. This is reported by Ynet, citing experts. According to analysts, Tehran is trying to counter this strategy by drawing the US into a broader conflict. Iran's calculation is that American military casualties, rising fuel prices, and domestic pressure will force the Trump administration to agree to a ceasefire on Tehran's terms. To increase pressure, Iran uses controlled armed groups — the Houthis in Yemen and Shia militias in Iraq. It is also possible that Tehran is seeking to intensify Hezbollah's actions against Israel on the Lebanese front. In this context, analysts link the recent drone attack on an IDF engineering vehicle in southern Lebanon. The restrained US course was determined before Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the US on July 28. The meeting with Trump took place after key decisions had already been made, allowing the president to avoid accusations of changing his position under the influence of the Israeli leader.