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News Topical, Digital Desk : More than two decades after the 2003 US invasion of Iraq, the US, along with Israel, has launched a war against Iran, which is now in its second week. As attacks on Iran escalate, so too does the credibility of US President Donald Trump.
His changing statements raise questions about what the US wants and what its endgame is. Since the war began, the US military has attacked nearly 2,000 targets in Iran, killing several senior Iranian officials in Tehran, including the country's then-Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei.
These places were targeted in Iran
Subsequent attacks targeted nuclear facilities, civilian areas, and vital infrastructure such as an oil refinery and a desalination plant. Iran retaliated by launching hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones targeting Israel and its Gulf neighbors.
Tehran says the attacks targeted military bases used by the US, as well as energy infrastructure, embassies and civilian areas.
How many people were killed?
So far, more than 1,200 Iranians have been killed in US and Israeli attacks, including more than 160 children killed in a school bombing. Seven US soldiers have also been killed. Yet, experts say Trump and his administration have never clearly stated how they intend to end this war.
Trump's stance has changed several times in the last 10 days.
Although the Trump administration never explicitly mentioned the words "regime change," experts say its actions appear to be aimed at dismantling the current Iranian system, Al Jazeera reported.
Since the so-called Operation Epic Fury began, Trump's message has oscillated between dealmaking and Iran's destruction. Initially, he called on members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to lay down their arms and surrender in exchange for immunity. Later, he urged Iranian diplomats to defect.
But the IRGC is leading Iran's retaliatory attacks against the US and Israel, and also orchestrating Iran's attacks on other Gulf countries. Iranian diplomats rejected Trump's offer in a public letter, insisting they remain committed to their role as representatives of the Islamic Republic.
Trump and his team have repeatedly cited destroying Iran's military capabilities, its ballistic missiles and the facilities that produce them, and its navy as key objectives of war.
What exactly is the endgame for America?
Given the various war goals set by Trump and his team, the most practical option for the US is a forced settlement rather than a ground war. Trump's pragmatic approach could ultimately determine the outcome.
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