By Ranjan Solomon
A large number of American people have made it abundantly clear that they do not want to go to war with Iran, but Israel partisans and the Israel lobby use their massive political clout to bring about whatever is beneficial to Israel – including putting the US military in harm’s way. It cannot be overemphasized that Israel has been the impetus behind US policies and actions vis-a-vis Iran for years. Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing the US to attack Iran for decades. This is especially true right now, under Donald Trump.
The USA has deficits face depletion of key stockpiles
Military analysts claim that the USA can likely sustain a long-term conflict in terms of overall military capability, but faces critical bottlenecks in high-end, precision-guided munitions production and logistics. While able to sustain lower-intensity operations “almost indefinitely,” intense, high-end, or simultaneous conflicts with major powers could exhaust key stockpiles within 3–4 weeks.
Meanwhile, Iran’s has accused the US and Israel of striking hospitals, schools, residential areas and markets in several Iranian cities. Iran has also accused the US and Israel of committing a “blatant war crime” after a missile strike damaged part of the historic Golestan Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Iranian capital, calling it “a heinous crime aimed at erasing the cultural heritage of Iran”. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has accused Iran of having “negotiated in bad faith” while “scheming and preparing” an attack. The reverse is the real truth. Israel and US acted in cowardly and deceitful fashion while Israel launched the first attack. Iran had sworn it would not initiate the war. At the same time, it avowed that it would not hesitate to hit back hard if attacked.
The war wasn’t meant to be a “fair fight” and Trump had loosened the rules of engagement for the military. Israel wants the US to go for Iran and change its very history. “Keep going to the end – we are with you,” the American defense secretary told his counterpart. On the other end of the spectrum, we have the US secretary of state warning against deploying troops as Hegseth takes a hawkish turn.
Iran calls it an unjust war, yet counts 500 US military deaths
Iran’s top security official claims 500 US military deaths. It has categorized the war on Iran as an ‘unjust war’ . US President Donald Trump and Netanyahu beat the drums of war hoping to scare Iran, yet forgetting, that Iran functions as a mature state, with a civilizational sense of duty. It seeks peace, but with dignity and justice. It refuses to be swayed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ‘clownish antics.’
Ali Larijani, former military officer in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and now one of the most powerful figures in the security hierarchy has accused Israel of dragging the American people into an unjust war with Iran. He is crucial to Iran’s war strategy and was tied to Tehran’s to its violent suppression of internal unrest. Larijani expressed understanding for demonstrations staged in protest at economic hardship. But he condemned armed actions fomented by Iran’s arch-enemy Israel. He is quoted as saying: “Popular protests must be completely separated from these terrorist-similar groups.”
A former member of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, Larijani served as chief nuclear negotiator from 2005-2007, defending what Tehran says is it’s right to enrich uranium. He once likened European incentives to abandon nuclear fuel production to “exchanging a pearl for a candy bar”.
Key factors in sustaining the struggle.
The US military possesses the world’s deepest conventional stockpiles. However, the reliance on high-tech, expensive weapons creates vulnerabilities. As of early 2026, there is a push to speed up defense production due to ammunition depletion risks in potential, intense conflicts (e.g., with Iran or China).
While long-term, low-intensity, or “stand-in” weapon usage (e.g., JDAM bombs) can continue long-term, maintaining high-end, long-range “stand-off” capabilities (e.g., Tomahawk missiles) is difficult beyond 30-40 days. The U.S. will be compelled to shift from high-intensity, expensive, long-range campaigns to more sustainable, lower-cost, shorter-range strikes to manage, rather than exhaust, its arsenals.
The U.S. remains the world’s most powerful military with unmatched logistical, economic, and industrial resources, but it has lost wars to much weaker nations. Military strength is rarely the sole determinant of victory in modern conflict; it is part of a broader spectrum of national power, alongside economic, technological, and political factors. While hard power (weapons, personnel, technology) is necessary for deterrence, winning wars often depends on adaptability, logistics, and the human factor. War is ultimately fought between people, making the human factor – leadership, training, morale, and willingness to sacrifice – decisive. The ability to adapt to new combat methods often outweighs initial material advantages. It now serves Israeli interests not because it is fighting a just war, but because this is imposed on the US by its Zionist lobbies.
Russia and China provide a strategic lifeline
Russia and China provide crucial, yet calculated, support to Iran, acting as a strategic lifeline rather than a direct military shield. Beijing serves as an economic stabilizer, purchasing the bulk of Iranian oil, while Moscow boosts Iranian defense with advanced technology, including potential S-400 components and Su-35 fighters. This backing offers significant, albeit non-military, deterrence against Western pressure, allowing Tehran to counter US influence without direct, large-scale intervention from its allies.
China remains Iran’s primary economic partner, buying roughly 90% of its oil exports, acting as a crucial, though sometimes hesitant, partner that avoids direct military engagement. Russia has deepened military cooperation, including supplying advanced Su-35 fighter jets and S-400 air defense components to strengthen Iran’s defense, according to SpecialEurasia. Both countries have condemned recent attacks on Iran, but they have largely avoided direct military involvement, opting for diplomatic shielding at the UN.
The Israeli regime’s defense minister, Israel Katz said, “Any leader appointed by the Iranian terror regime to continue leading the plan to destroy Israel, threaten the US and the free world and the countries of the region, and oppress the Iranian people, will be an unequivocal target for elimination.” Katz stated, “It does not matter what his name is or where he hides,” indicating an intention to pursue targeted killings of new leadership, regardless of their location. The threats were aligned with what Katz termed “Operation Rising Lion” (or “Roar of the Aryans”), which involved attacks on Iranian military and nuclear infrastructure.
Not the Iran war- it is Israel’s war
This war is referred to as the ‘Iran War’. Patently incorrect. It is Israel’s war to which US has joined a co-conspirator in this illegal war. The joint US-Israeli strikes against Iran seemingly are in breach of the UN Charter’s prohibition on aggression. Israel does not care that the war with Iran war threatens the global economy with severe maritime, and energy disruptions. The intensifying conflict risks major disruption to the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20% of global oil and gas.
The United Nations special rapporteur on the promotion of human rights and “counterterrorism”, Ben Saul “said to Al Jazeera, “This is not lawful self-defence against an armed attack by Iran, and the UN Security Council has not authorised it.” A vast proportion of American people, including Congresspersons and a Senators, have disregarded Trump’s claim that “This is not lawful self-defence against an armed attack by Iran, and the UN Security Council has not authorised it.” The war is an unjustified act of use of force.
Israel is beginning to being isolated. Iranian officials say Israel carried out some of the drone strikes on Gulf energy sites. Some of the attacks, namely on oil refineries, ports and civilian targets, were carried out by Israel to provoke Gulf states into entering war. The US sounds clueless and the Trump administration’s ultimate desired outcomes in Iran remain unclear.
Mounting cynicism in USA
Speaking to Al Jazeera from Frankfurt, Hodges said that while various justifications had been given for launching the attacks, “we still don’t know what the president’s end game is.” Hodges claims a mounting cynicism in the United States in Israel regarding security commitments, citing that they may not inform the U.S. before taking action against Iranian targets. This could be the growing sign of disillusionment with Israel- post Gaza and before, as well. It could also be the rising tide of people’s opinions about Israel’s refusal to talk around a just peace.
According to the Atlantic Council, there were reports of severe strain in US-Israeli ties beginning 2025 and even now, with some US officials indicating that Israel might have to make tough choices regarding its security, the current, immediate situation involves high-level, coordinated military operations.
Trump’s claim that Iran is an imminent truth is gobbledegook
Trump’s rationalisation for joining the war is that Iran is an imminent danger. Iran’s advancements in 2026 constitute a direct, urgent threat to U.S. security, others argue this claim is a manufactured or exaggerated pretext for a pre-planned, politically motivated intervention to overthrow the Iranian regime. A diplomatic “breakthrough” was within reach just before the strikes began, with Iran potentially agreeing to restrict its nuclear activity, making the sudden shift to full-scale war seem contradictory to some analysts.
Israel’s principal, ruthless goal is to shift from containing regional threats to defeating them, specifically aiming to neutralize Iran’s nuclear capabilities and proxy networks. (Foreign Affairs reports). While regime change in Tehran is seen by some observers as the ultimate, albeit unspoken, objective to ensure long-term security.
Regime change- part of Israel’s unattainable wish list
While the US and Israel have initiated a large-scale attempt at regime change, the outcome remains virtually out-of-reach and uncertain due to the resilience of the Iranian security apparatus and the potential for severe, retaliatory disruption in the region. The Iranian security apparatus, centered on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), demonstrates high resilience through a decentralized, multi-layered structure designed to withstand leadership losses and intense external pressure.
The security apparatus is structured to function even if central leadership is disrupted, using a collective command structure within the IRGC and multiple “parallel” intelligence agencies. The regime has shifted to a “collective command” system, ensuring that military and political, ideological institutions maintain continuity, even with the death of top leaders, as seen in the transition following the 2025 conflicts. The deep-rooted, multi-layered nature of the security apparatus makes it highly unlikely to collapse solely due to airstrikes.
Conclusion
In truth, this is not USA’s war. It is Israel’s war, conceived in Tel Aviv and drawn into Washington through the relentless pressure of Netanyahu and the Zionist lobby. By entangling the United States in a conflict that lacks legal, moral, and strategic legitimacy, Israel risks not only regional catastrophe but also the erosion of American credibility. Iran, whatever its faults, is not a state that will easily capitulate under coercion. History shows that wars driven by hubris rather than justice rarely end in victory. This war may yet become the moment when imperial overreach meets determined resistance.
Ranjan Solomon has worked in social justice movements since he was 19 years of age.
6 March 2026
Source: countercurrents.org