The war launched by the United States and Israel against Iran has entered its second week, yet US President Donald Trump's statements about the conflict's ultimate objectives remain fluid and at times contradictory. Despite the killing of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and strikes on nearly 2,000 targets, the Trump administration has failed to articulate a clear endgame for the military campaign.

Iran has retaliated with hundreds of missiles and thousands of drones targeting military bases, energy infrastructure, US embassies, and civilian areas in Israel and Gulf states. At least 1,200 Iranians, including over 160 children, have been killed since the war began. Analysts argue that Trump's actions appear aimed at collapsing the Iranian government, but this goal has not been achieved.

The appointment of Ali Khamenei's son, Mojtaba Khamenei, as Iran's new Supreme Leader represents a direct rebuke to Washington's ambitions. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has pledged allegiance to the new leader and rejected Trump's surrender offers, signaling an initial failure of the US 'regime change' strategy.

The Trump administration is reportedly considering various options to conclude the war, including decimating Iran's military capabilities, leveraging Kurdish forces, or even launching a ground invasion. However, experts warn that the US's negative experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan, coupled with Trump's domestic political constraints, make a large-scale ground operation highly unlikely.

Israel views the current conflict as part of a broader project to reshape the Middle East following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Nevertheless, analysts suggest that the most practical outcome for the US may be a coercive settlement with Iran, allowing Trump to claim victory without escalating into a protracted and costly occupation.

Source: www.aljazeera.com