US forces move to West Asia; conflict set to intensify with Israel, Iran unrelenting

Iran continued to rain missiles and drones on Israel on Monday night in the ninth such barrage ever since it launched its ‘True Promise III’ operation in response to Israel’s ‘Rising Lion’ that began on June 13.

 

The raging conflict is expected to intensify further, with Iran appearing unrelenting and unwilling to negotiate to end the tension yet by saying that it is preparing for “the largest and most intense missile attack in history on Israeli soil”.

 

In a significant development, the US has rushed to deploy forces in West Asia, with the USS Nimitz carrier strike group set to reach the conflict-torn region soon from its earlier deployment in the South China Sea.

 

Reports also claimed that at least 21 refueling tanker aircraft of the US Air Force are being moved to Europe from the US so as to be closer to the theatre of war in order to “provide options to defend US assets and interests…”

 

In what appears to be a warning to Iran, President Donald Trump asked people to evacuate Tehran and said Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon.

 

Trump posted on the Truth Social media platform: “Iran should have signed the ‘deal’ I told them to sign. What a shame, and waste of human life. Simply stated, IRAN CAN NOT HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON. I said it over and over again! Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!”

 

At least 220 people have been killed in Israel’s attacks on Iran, while at least 20 people have been killed in Iranian attacks on Israel.

 

Israel launched Operation Rising Lion to preempt Iran from possessing nuclear bombs. The immediate aim of the operation was ostensibly three-fold—to destroy nuclear and military capabilities, including the air defence and ballistic missile arsenal, and to take out the top military leadership and scientists spearheading Iran’s nuclear effort.

 

The top Iranian leadership eliminated till now includes Major General Mohammad Bagheri, Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces, Hossein Salami, chief of the IRGC, Brigadier General Amir Ali Hajizadeh, head of the IRGC aerospace division, General Gholam Ali Rashid, senior IRGC commander, and Brigadier General Mohammad Kazemi who headed the IRGC’s Intelligence.

 

The nuclear scientists killed include Dr Fereydoon Abbasi, Dr Mohammad Mehdi Tehranchi, and Dr Abdolhamid Minoucher.  

Middle East