Feels weird to be rooting in favour of a Nintendo lawsuit for once.

I'm not watching that whole video, but I haven't really been impressed by "Iran's military prowess". Seems to me like they lost like half of their country's leadership and some significant assets and are just generally getting run over. Same with the war in 2025. They didn't seem to really accomplish much militarily and have largely showed that they are unable to defend much. Am I missing something?

That's why you should watch that video, Alistair Crooke explains Iran's strategy in detail, as well as what's happening behind the war drum propaganda.

It's the US military bases in the ME and its radar capabilities that are getting run over while Iran is still using old missiles to rapidly deplete interceptors and are already getting freedom of the skies over Arab countries as the US is scrambling to get all the remaining interceptors to Israel.

Arab countries are now seeing that US protection means nothing and are already starting to pivot investments away from the US.

Yes, you are missing the big picture. This is going to be a long war, Iran is not backing down. Iran is larger than France, Germany, Spain, and the UK combined and has its rocket capabilities decentralized over 57 districts.

Taking out the top leadership is exactly what Iran prepared for and is only biting the US in the butt now as there's no one left to negotiate with. Next to unleashing another jihad in Iraq and other countries for turning the Ayatollah into a martyr. Which he likely planned as he was just sitting in his home office, defying all advice to go into shelter.

The effect is more extreme hardliners will take over from Khamenei and the more moderate top leadership that kept preaching restraint in all the previous attacks from Israel and the US, assassinations and bombing wise.

Interesting, maybe I'll watch the video. Do you think we'll see more significant US/Israeli losses in the coming weeks, or do you think Iran's aims are more about regional control?

I fear the worst for Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Iran has already started to use cluster munitions, banned or not, international law went out the window in Gaza. The iron dome is pretty useless against that, what's left of it. 

Atm US and Israeli losses are completely censored, anyone filming anything in Israel gets arrested. News from Gaza / West Bank has practically dried up, Hezbollah wounding Smotrich's son and other soldiers doesn't get reported in the West nor Beirut being under heavy bombardment again. So who knows what the real losses are. Local reports say Tel Aviv is getting pounded already. Not like Tehran but when interceptors run out all bets are off. It took about 12 days last time for the stockpiles to run dangerously low and they were never fully restored. Meanwhile Iran has been taking out US' radar capabilities, reducing reaction time from 30 minutes to 2 minutes to intercept missiles.


Iran's aims seem to be to get the US out of the ME, they're targeting all US military basis with help from Russian intelligence. Iran is apologizing to its Arab neighbors for striking them while telling them any US assets are fair game. 

So yes, regional control, stay in control of the straight of Hormuz and be free to trade with China and Russia. Weaken the US sanctions on Iran and US / Israel influence in the ME. 

The big danger is the religious extremists on both sides turning the goals into mutual assured destruction. No doubt there are hardliners in Iran now seeing the chance to wipe Israel off the map, while Evangelical Christian Zionists see the chance for all out holy war bringing back Jesus.

Why This Is the Most Dangerous War In Decades - Prof. Paul Rogers'

Basically plan A (terminate the regime) failed, US doesn't really have a plan B.

Israel's plan B is to make life so difficult for the population for the regime to give in, aka mass casualties, destroy all infrastructure, the Gaza doctrine. Yet now against a population of 93 million spread out over a huge area. This will only increase hatred and support for retaliation.

If Israel/US don't 'win' Iran will now certainly rush to make a crude nuclear device. Israel got itself trapped.

Balcanizing Iran will be a disaster and start an energy crisis.

Unless someone can talk sense into the US government this will lead to a long war and nuclear proliferation around the world.