PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF (PDB) – Why now? Factors that drove U.S. and Israel to war with Iran. Expert from The George Washington University digs in on aspects of U.S. and Israel’s strikes on Iran.
U.S. seems to have launched war with Iran after concluding that once Israel moved, U.S. involvement would be unavoidable. The question was not whether to fight but whether to strike alongside Israel or wait until Iran retaliated against U.S. forces in the region.
Trump talks war motivations, and battlefield first in Operation Epic Fury. President says “feeling” helped guide him to approve large scale strikes in Iran, and new weapon takes to the skies on the fight.
Even as U.S. and Israeli military superiority has wreaked havoc on Iran, pounding its navy, missile launch sites and other assets, time may be on Iran’s side in conflict with U.S. as President Trump faces domestic and international pressure to end war.
Another Iraq? Examining Operation Epic Fury. Middle East expert looks at how past conflicts compare to current U.S. effort against Iran.
FOR YOUR EYES ONLY – Here’s a roundup of today’s other top defense news from conservative national security expert PAUL CRESPO.
THE PDB – Not the President’s Daily Briefing, but almost as good – PAUL’S DEFENSE BRIEF:
HOMELAND SECURITY
Pro-Iranian hackers targeting sites in Middle East and starting to stretch into U.S. during the war, raising risk of U.S. defense contractors, power stations and water plants being swept into wave of digital chaos that could expand if Tehran’s allies join fray.
Army ROTC cadets subdued and killed Muslim gunman who yelled “Allahu Akbar” before opening fire at Old Dominion University, killing one and wounding two. Terrorist had been in Army National Guard and pleaded guilty in 2016 to attempting to aid the Islamic State.
Four drone systems were stolen from Kentucky Army engineer battalion in Kentucky late last year, Army investigators reported.
DEFENSE POLITICS
War Secretary Pete Hegseth orders ‘ruthless’ review and overhaul of military’s civilian and uniformed legal offices (JAGs), raising concerns among critics that he will gut legal oversight of administration’s actions.
Pentagon’s myriad new efforts to boost industrial base not moving the needle, yet.
Veterans in lawsuit say VA has “invented new reasons to deny” former service members access to GI Bill benefits that many veterans qualify for.
US POWER OVERSEAS
World’s largest aircraft carrier experienced non-combat fire that was successfully doused.
Navy decommissioned half of its Avenger-class mine countermeasure ships last year and began replacing them with littoral combat ships that possess anti-mine capabilities.
Navy rotated Ticonderoga-class cruiser homeported overseas (in Japan) back to the states.
NARCO-TERRORIST THREAT
U.S. maintains strong military presence in Caribbean Sea to strike alleged drug traffickers with five warships and thousands of troops.
IRAN CAMPAIGN
RIP. Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft has gone down in friendly airspace in western Iraq, 4 crew out of 6 confirmed dead. It apparently collided midair with another KC-135 tanker, which landed safely.
Navy won’t be ready to escort tankers through Strait of Hormuz for weeks, but it will happen, says Energy Secretary.
Fighters are downing Iranian drones — but former pilots say mission is expensive, dangerous, and unsustainable with current tactics.
Israel strikes central Beirut after threatening to expand Lebanon operations and seize territory in Lebanon if Hezbollah did not stop its attacks. Israeli military issued call to evacuate ahead of Beirut attack, after it widened evacuation warning for residents in southern Lebanon.
REGIONAL/GLOBAL IMPACT
Why Vladimir Putin is the biggest winner from the war in Iran. Despite losing another key ally, U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran appear to have given Vladimir Putin an unexpected dividend, with Ukraine warning that an oil price surge will boost Russia’s war chest.
Still, others strongly disagree. Putin isn’t winning on Iran. His world is disintegrating all around him.
Ukraine awaiting White House approval for major drone production agreement proposed by Kyiv last year, as countries scramble to modernize their air defenses after Iran war exposed shortcomings.
Several countries slated to participate in NATO’s largest Arctic warfare exercise have withdrawn their military hardware, including warships and fighters, amid growing concerns over widening conflict with Iran.
U.S. was granted permission to use bases in NATO ally Romania for operations in Iran.
NATO sends Patriot system to protect key air-defense radar in Malatya, Turkey, following waves of Iranian missile and drone attacks against key military infrastructure in region.
France’s “unprecedented” deployment of warships, including nuke carrier, to Middle East is meant to position the country as credible security partner for region, a move that could set up France to benefit from any realignment of alliances following end to U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
CHINA THREAT
CIA Videos Targeting Chinese Informants Draw 120 Million Views Online in China. Sources familiar with the initiative say campaign has already succeeded in reaching individuals inside China’s political system and has produced “significant results” in recruiting both internal sources and external informants.
Thousands of Chinese fishing boats have been massing in geometric formations in East China Sea, in coordinated actions that experts believe are part of Beijing’s preparations for a potential regional crisis or conflict.
Strait of Hormuz transiting ships flash ‘China owner’ signals to evade Iran blockade. Analysts see “diplomatic bulletproofing” in vessels leveraging Beijing’s neutrality, while some Chinese-linked ships clear chokepoint.
RUSSIA THREAT/UKRAINE WAR
Top commander of U.S. forces in Europe told Congress that U.S. military is responding “robustly” to any entity, including Russia, aiding Iran in military operations against U.S.
Ukrainian military instructors will deploy to German army schools to help Bundeswehr meet a readiness target against a hypothetical Russian attack on NATO by 2029.
US MILITARY
Air Force B-21 Raider bomber flight test aircraft conducted “close-proximity flight” with KC-135 Stratotanker as part of bomber’s ongoing test campaign.
END of PDB
FOR MORE DETAILED, UNCENSORED, INTELLIGENCE, AND ANALYSIS FROM PAUL CRESPO, SUBSCRIBE TO HIS SUBSTACK.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the positions of American Liberty News.
READ NEXT: Republican Leader Kicks Off High-Stakes Senate Bid
Dear Libs.
Are you willing to pay a bit more for gas for a short time, or do you wish to wait for Iran to develop better missiles and a nuclear bomb with which to kill you?
Your choice!