In an analysis of the overnight US strikes on Iranian targets, commentator Zvi Yehezkeli argues that the pattern of mutual attacks has effectively written an unwritten agreement: Iran violates the arrangement by firing on ships, the US responds with limited strikes, Iran retaliates significantly, and Washington backs down. He assesses that Iran is proving itself the 'master of the Strait of Hormuz' and that the US is accepting this reality.
Zvi Yehezkeli, a veteran Israeli journalist covering the Middle East, published an analysis early Wednesday morning arguing that the recurring US-Iran skirmishes in the Strait of Hormuz have effectively institutionalized Iranian dominance in the strategic waterway. His assessment comes hours after the Zioneer reported on a sustained US bombing campaign against Iranian targets near the strait, which CENTCOM confirmed as 'powerful' strikes in retaliation for Iranian drone attacks on merchant vessels.
The Zioneer first reported on the latest wave of US strikes at 00:09 Jerusalem time, documenting that the bombardment lasted over an hour. By 00:32, the US military officially confirmed the operation, describing it as 'powerful.' The strikes followed days of escalating tensions, including a Panama-flagged tanker attack attributed to Iranian drones on Saturday, June 27.
The broader context is the unraveling of the US-Iran memorandum of understanding (MOU) that had been negotiated in recent weeks. Multiple reports, including analysis by Iranian outlets, indicated that the MOU placed most commitments on the US side, while Iran was not required to make new concessions. The Israel-Lebanon peace agreement, signed earlier this week, reportedly further complicated the talks, with Tehran assessing that it could not absorb the deal and that it would lead to a return to hostilities.
Yehezkeli's analysis, while offering a stark assessment of the strategic balance, remains a single commentator's view. It has not been corroborated by official US or Iranian statements, and the actual trajectory of the conflict remains fluid.
2 developments
- DevelopingUS strikes prioritize Strait of Hormuz freedom of navigation, sources say
- DevelopingAnalysis: Iran attacks global shipping lanes in Strait of Hormuz while world focuses on Israel
- DevelopingReports: Iran will respond to U.S. strike at Hormuz, sees Lebanon deal as catalyst for talks collapse
- StrongIran used short-range missiles in Strait of Hormuz tanker attacks, US official says
Source and signal
- Internal intake