US Perspective on the Iran - Israel / US War

[Pakistan Space Agency]

Victory or defeat is measured based on whether objectives are achieved or not. Trump's objective was a quick regime change as was achieved in Venezuela. The Iranian regime's objective was survival. So far, the Iranians have succeeded in achieving their objective and Trump has failed miserably despite the overwhelming military superiority . In retrospect, it was always mission impossible and the US now needs a face-saving exit from a war no one can properly articulate why we got involved in , in the first place.

Hello there,

The US military from day one has said that intense military campaign will last 4-6 weeks (28-42 days), and we're on day 30 now. Still almost 2 weeks to go.

Objectives can change. Iranian "regime" has already been replaced. There's a new supreme leader, commanders, etc.

Who says the US/Israel just wanted a quick victory in Iran like in Venezuela? That was an option made available to the Iranians to consider. They didn't, so now they're facing what Iraq, Libya and Syria faced - total destruction of Iran to the level that Iran will no longer be considered a nation state post war.

 

[Pakistan Space Agency]

The total cost so far of the un-necessary Iran war to the US.

Iran War Cost Tracker — First Week Cost $11.3 Billion

The Pentagon told Congress the first week of the Iran war cost $11.3 billion. Track the running total in real time.

iran-cost-ticker.com

A total budget of $200 billion has been made available so far

 

[hasssanali8998]

Iranian "regime" has already been replaced. There's a new supreme leader, commanders, etc.

 

[MS Sandhu]

If you can't stop 100% of attacks, then that means it's pointless. Again, it's not the attack, it's the threat of attack that is closing the strait, and you just admit you can't stop their attack 100% regardless of how you degrade their offensive capability.

And as I said before, if you want to hold Iranian oil production hostage (which frankly is the only things going out of the strait now which mean if we actually did it, it will make the oil sitaution worse, not better) all you need to do is to threaten to bomb it, you don't need to invade it to hold it hostage, unless you want to take it over and ship it yourself, which you will then need the strait to open.

So America has the objective to completely stop Iran's Ballistic & Missile programs :
First phase was to bomb the existing infrastructure and stocks of these assets. By the looks of it, US & Isr military have largely achieved it with minimal military losses

Next phase is to force Iran to agree that it will not rebuild those assets.
For achieving this, they are pursuing ground invasion.

I remember reading one of your posts on old pdf where you claimed that US will capture some iranian coastal territory/city of Iran, intead of capturing whole Iran and from that position of strength, will negotiate with govt in Tehran to accept its terms.

And this is exactly what is happening. What do you feel about this plan here in 2026.

 

[Musings]

From a tactical an operational standpoint, the US military has been dominant. They were given a clear set of objectives and they’ve executed almost flawlessly given the scale of operations.

And don’t compare this to Russia. Russia is losing more men every 30 minutes than the US has lost in a month of combat. There’s zero comparison to Russias disaster.

Tep targeting schools and hospitals - highly commendable - flawless behaviour. You ought to be proud boy

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

So America has the objective to completely stop Iran's Ballistic & Missile programs :
First phase was to bomb the existing infrastructure and stocks of these assets. By the looks of it, US & Isr military have largely achieved it with minimal military losses

Perhaps with minimal losses so far. What we don't know is just how much truly remains and how far underground has Iran built it. They've had 47 years to prepare. Comparing this to the Vietnam experience, older friend of mine who were tunnel rats commented how well a number of VC tunnels held up in spite of the repeated bombing on the surface.

In other words, we didn't get them all then. We likely won't get them all now.

 

[Yasser76]

It is not a Saudi Arabian war but have you not noticed that every single enemy of KSA (historically) now belongs in the dustbin of history? Look at the long list in the past 100 years alone. Coincidence? It is almost as if some higher power is telling someone something. My guess is that the Iranian regime will soon reach that dustbin as well.

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What are the chances of the US and Israel using tactical nukes on Iran? What is the threshold?

Either the Iranian regime, already severely weakened, will capitulate or be forced to reform in a way that will suit the US and Israel (another Venezuela scenario) or the US and Israel will have to launch new attacks against Iran every 6-12 months to ensure that they will never possess nuclear weapons.

If the Israelis go full retard, which they are perfectly capable of, it will only require striking the Bushehr nuclear power plant (now that almost all if not all Russian experts have left) to contaminate large parts of Southern Iran for many years to come.

They have opened a bit of a pandora box here because if the Iranian regime, which is retarded in nature, has not learned anything from this new attack on them, in other words if they do not race to acquire nuclear weapons, they will be at the constant mercy of the US and Israel.

US mainland is completely safe and will remain that. Israel is barely touched either - not anywhere close to anything existential. So they can easily afford a third, fourth or even a fifth round in the not so distant future. Not sure the Iranian regime can afford such a thing given the destruction that they have endured already.

So in a way all parties have somehow forced themselves into a corner.

In any way you look at it, Iran is screwed (already the case) and sadly the Iranian people will be the main victims as they have been since 1979.

Israel and the US also have differing goals IMO. Israel wants a permanently failed state (Iran), preferably ruled by the same incompetent Mullah's. One less regional competitor, potentially. The US on the other hand would want Iran to become a vassal state like under the Shah that they (US firms and US state) can earn billions from.

The Abu Dhabi regime in action:

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Maybe they should have thought about that before sending their firecrackers towards the UAE.

More so, what prevents the UAE from rounding up some of those 500.000 Iranians and putting them in all key strategic areas of UAE and say to the Iranian regime that they are free to attack those areas but if they do, 1000's of their own will die? I would have done that a long time ago.

your country has not even been around for 100 years in it's present form, you mock a country that is showing bravery you can only dream about. Sit down.

 

[AZ_HighCountry]

Let me add something else here. Spring planting in the US will be getting underway within a few weeks. In the meantime, a LOT of the fresh fruits and vegetables being enjoyed by American consumers are coming in from Latin America including Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Chile, and Argentina. Between trucking and air freight costs, all of those items are increasing in prices. The tariffs enacted by the administration got the ball rolling and now this?

Now, consider what the US farms are going to be going through. The Con-Agras and Archer-Daniels-Midland types are better prepared to weather this than the average mom'n'pop farm. I suspect we'll see a lot of those scaling back production this year because they can't afford it.

 

[Yasser76]

Iran has been around less than 50 years in its present form.

What bravery is that? Being carpet bombed and firing a few firecrackers back in return on mostly tiny third party states?

Being ruled by retarded Mullah's who have nothing to show for it other than being despised by the entire region and with zero allies of note? An entity that has supported numerous terrorist groups, proxies and wrecked havoc in the region and directly and indirectly being behind the murder of 100.000's of Muslims in the region?

What a bunch of nonsense.

Those are the words of the children of the most high-ranking Iranian regime officials. I don't think that I need to add more.

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My God, seems like you need history lessons.

While your Kings and Princes pay well for Americans and Europeans for protection that never comes, these Iranians are fighting Israel and US combined, they took on a Western backed Iraq.

Weird thing is up until a week ago I was one of the biggest supporters of Saudi Arabia. They have done so much for Pakistan and Saudia is loved by most Pakistanis, but now looking at the bravery of these Iranians and the 2 faced behaviour of MBS and even your insults on this forum, my respect for Iran, it's people and its armed forces is growing.

Well done on being a terrible ambassador for your country

 

[_Arabia_]

My God, seems like you need history lessons.

While your Kings and Princes pay well for Americans and Europeans for protection that never comes, these Iranians are fighting Israel and US combined, they took on a Western backed Iraq.

Weird thing is up until a week ago I was one of the biggest supporters of Saudi Arabia. They have done so much for Pakistan and Saudia is loved by most Pakistanis, but now looking at the bravery of these Iranians and the 2 faced behaviour of MBS and even your insults on this forum, my respect for Iran, it's people and its armed forces is growing.

Well done on being a terrible ambassador for your country

You can do whatever you like to and support whatever backward Iranian Mullah regime you like to as well. I am not stopping you. I could not care less in fact. However nothing changes about the ground realities of that regime and the evil that they have committed in the region.

You can hate KSA or whatever as well. Most Muslims (90-95%) will always take the side of Makkah and Madinah over Tehran. So one less or more, makes no difference.

In fact nothing stops people here from actually fighting on behalf of Iran on the frontline instead in front of their keyboards. I would respect such a choice personally.

Also I am not a representative of any country anymore than you are a representative of the UK or Pakistan.

 

[Yasser76]

You can do whatever you like to and support whatever backward Iranian Mullah regime you like to as well. I am not stopping you. I could not care less in fact. However nothing changes about the ground realities of that regime and the evil that they have committed in the region.

You can hate KSA or whatever as well. Most Muslims (90-95%) will always take the side of Makkah and Madinah over Tehran. So one less or more, makes no difference.

In fact nothing stops people here from actually fighting on behalf on Iran on the frontline instead in front of their keyboards. I would respect such a choice personally.

Also I am not a representative of any country anymore than you being a representative of the UK or Pakistan.

No one here cares for your "respect" when you can openly mock a country under attack. Fortunately this is Pakistan Defence Forum, and not Saudi Wet Dream Forum.


All Muslims will hold Makkeh and Madina sacred, that does not apply to the Donkey that leads the House of Saud, they are not the same thing. MBS is no King Faisal.

Backward Mullahs? My friend, a Saudi typing this means irony just died....

 

[_Arabia_]

No one here cares for your "respect" when you can openly mock a country under attack. Fortunately this is Pakistan Defence Forum, and not Saudi Wet Dream Forum.


All Muslims will hold Makkeh and Madina sacred, that does not apply to the Donkey that leads the House of Saud, they are not the same thing. MBS is no King Faisal.

Backward Mullahs? My friend, a Saudi typing this means irony just died....

I "mock" (rather criticize) a 47 year regime. That does not equal Iran or Iranains, I am afraid. Unless MbS equals KSA, Saudi Arabians, Makkah and Madinah etc.

What "wet dream"? Last time I checked the Iranian regime is getting carpet bombed while KSA remains untouched.

You think that I care if you criticize KSA leadership? Unlike the backward Iranian Mullah's we don't consider our leadership "holy cows" nor does our leadership make up false claims of ancestral ties to modern-day KSA (Saddah, Sayyid lineages etc.) to boost our control of ignorant masses.

We are not run by Mullah's either. Our Mullah's have no power since 10 years or so largely thanks to the "donkey" MBS.

Go volunteer for the Iranian Mullah regime and leave the UK and I would actually respect what you post. Otherwise you are just an cheerleader online.

Rest assured, that if KSA was ever attacked I would not spend a second on this forum unlike all the Mullah regime fanboys who are mostly all based in the "evil West".

 

[MS Sandhu]

Perhaps with minimal losses so far. What we don't know is just how much truly remains and how far underground has Iran built it. They've had 47 years to prepare. Comparing this to the Vietnam experience, older friend of mine who were tunnel rats commented how well a number of VC tunnels held up in spite of the repeated bombing on the surface.

In other words, we didn't get them all then. We likely won't get them all now.

Yes economic cost of this war is huge. If this is the situation of America, then you can imagine what is coming next for our region that relies completely on middle east for oil & gas with zero local production.


Now besides that economic cost, how effective will be the next strategy of American Military to go ground on Iran, capture its coastal territory and then wait there for Iranians to yield to US/Isr conditions?

Keeping in mind the limitations of Iranian ruling elite also who wouldn't want it either to become another Afghanistan.

 

[Yasser76]

I "mock" (rather criticize) a 47 year regime. That does not equal Iran or Iranains, I am afraid. Unless MbS equals KSA, Saudi Arabians, Makkah and Madinah etc.

What "wet dream"? Last time I checked the Iranian regime is getting carpet bombed while KSA remains untouched.

You think that I care if you criticize KSA leadership? Unlike the backward Iranian Mullah's we don't consider our leadership "holy cows" nor does our leadership make up false claims of ancestral ties to modern-day KSA (Saddah, Sayyid lineages etc.) to boost our control of ignorant masses.

We are not run by Mullah's either. Our Mullah's have no power since 10 years or so largely thanks to the "donkey" MBS.

Right now the whole world is seeing Iran fight Israel/US to a standstill.

"KSA remains untouched". You see, now I think you have lost touch with all reality or you simply cannot read the news.

You are almost Indian in your ignorance

 

[_Arabia_]

Us that all you got bro? You think because of our love and passion for Makkah and Maddinah we will have an automatic respect for your leaders? People that publicly murder anyone outspoken to their regime and dismember them? People that live off prostitutes and regular use a pretence of religion pride?
Saudi Arabian leaders are more detested around the world than ever - hell even Trump suggested your leader will be ready to lick his arse? Let that sink in and Salman takes it on the chin.
Try to keep your natural desires to bring up sectarianism out of this or the same will happen again.
Allowing Americans to have bases and assuming they will protect Saudi from foreign attacks was a foolish act.
I hope common sense prevails.

You are the only ones that have talked about leadership in KSA. Not me. King Faisal was much more respected than any Iranian Mullah regime leader. Let us not go there.

Yes, and the Iranian regime has murdered 100's if not 1000's more of their dissidents. KSA murdered Khashoggi - 1 dissident out of 1000's. Not even remotely comparable.

The same Iranian regime murdered 1000's of their own just in January this year alone. What are we even talking about or comparing here?

2026 Iran massacres - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

1 out of numerous such massacres. Every 4-5 years the Iranian regime has a long tradition of mass murdering their own people.

Trump have said many things:

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Somehow the above Tweet from our Pakistani brother cannot be posted or shown:

@WAKhan337
·
4h

Breaking News...US President Trump just said:

Mohammed bin Salman is very strong.

Mohammed bin Salman is great.

Mohammed bin Salman is wonderful

.Mohammed bin Salman is brave.

Mohammed bin Salman is fearless.

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There are no US bases in KSA. The Prince Sultan Air Base is a sovereign Saudi Arabian base. That hosts US military presence with the official endorsement and acceptance of KSA leadership. We do not need to ask anybody permission for anything within KSA. Just like we host a small contingent of Pakistani soldiers in Tabuk.

Right now the whole world is seeing Iran fight Israel/US to a standstill.

"KSA remains untouched". You see, now I think you have lost touch with all reality or you simply cannot read the news.

You are almost Indian in your ignorance

Yes, KSA remains untouched. What has been destroyed? Nothing. You can ask the numerous Pakistani users who live all across KSA. They have already confirmed on numerous occasions that life goes on in KSA as completely normal. I know that you wish for something else but I am afraid to tell you that this is not the case. I have nothing to do with India.