Fury vs Promise
War begets more warmongering. So is the case as Iran has responded with full military might to US-Israel aggression, resulting in the assassination of its Supreme Leader, Syed Ali Khamenei, in a major blow to the Islamic republic. However, the pushback from Iran has taken the entire Middle East by surprise, forcing President Trump to ask Italy and Oman for mediation. Iran has vehemently targeted American interests across the region. Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE as well as Iraq are on the receiving end. Iranian drones and precision-guided missiles have hit accurate targets, including military installations, airports and hotels assumed to be acting as human shields for American servicemen.
The downing of several American aircraft in Kuwait and successful ramming of missiles into the Jewish state has made the state of affairs nail-biting. Dubai, the world's largest aviation hub, has closed down its operations. An annihilated Hezbollah's backlash in Lebanon has come as a thunderbolt for Israel, forcing it to divert its synergies for silencing this new front. While Tehran and many of the Iranian cities have been bombed by US and Israeli jets, Tehran has vowed that its strategy to fight on is decentralised, and it will not deter under any circumstances.
The Operation Epic Fury versus Operation True Promise-4 is pushing the global order into anarchy as the Strait of Hormuz is literally unnavigable. Oil prices are soaring and bourses have dipped at several places, including Pakistan. The anger in Pakistan on Khamenei's assassination saw the US consulate in Karachi attacked by a mob, as similar fierce demos were also staged in Lahore and Islamabad – resulting in the killing of at least 20 people.
It is widely feared that public sentiments on the streets of Arab capitals, in Europe and across the Atlantic will simmer as war rages on, causing severe socio-economic ramifications for millions around the world. The new leadership council in Iran has vowed to fight on "till victory", with security chief Ali Larijani refusing to negotiate with the US. The Financial Times has commented that Trump has 'no plans' for the future as he, along with Israel, have blundered into a mindless expedition.