Some of the posters make some of the dumbest arguments
Iran is a major power, unlike Iraq it has OFFENSIVE POWER
Sure it has limitations but it has a large army, a it's offensive and defensive plans are centered around it's missile program and lately it's drone program
So it's plowed money into these programmes and made tens of thousands of missiles at a minimum, maybe even more
No country, can invade Iran because their is no base for the enemy to build up a sufficient force,
ALL regional countries know what Iran can do, and none what to be targeted, so none will allow the U.S to use them as a base, even if they did, Iran would annihilate them with a shower of missiles
SO WHAT'S THE OPTION
They could fire missiles or launch missiles and munitions from jets, but then where do you base the jets,
You COULD use air craft carriers, but they would be a target for thousands of missiles
They could use Israel as a base but then they would have to violate multiple countries airspace to launch any attacks,
Neither of these options will cause enough damage to Iran that would take it out of the game AND IN THE MEANTIME, Iran would justifiably, start firing thousands of missiles at any ship, base, target and Israel itself
So how are you protecting U.S bases, ships or Israel from thousands of missiles
The straights of hormuz would be closed, oil and gas from the entire middle east could be effected, effecting multiple countries and the world economy
Houthis would forever even more into the red sea
Other proxies would join in
All the while, Russia and China will safeguard Iran at the U.N because Iran was responding to a Israeli attack on its consulate
Iran may take punishment,
Iran may lose some important people
or get important sites hit
BUT it will also hit back and be standing at the end, more angry then ever, with Russia, China and others