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Iran war: is the US shifting away from its strategy of precision strikes?
As the conflict has intensified, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted in what is seen as a broader approach
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Amber Wangin Beijing
Whether the US-Israeli war on Iran wraps up quickly or drags on, the repercussions will be felt for years, reshaping warfare, geopolitics and energy security as well as how the world sees the United States and its tactical and strategic capabilities. In the final instalment of a three-part series, we look at the move away from precision strikes on limited military assets.
When Iran’s South Pars gas field was hit at the start of the US-Israeli war on the country, Tehran retaliated with attacks on energy infrastructure across the Gulf. And as the conflict has escalated, more energy and civilian sites have been targeted.
In Iran, the destruction includes pharmaceutical company Tofigh Darou, the Pasteur Institute, a century-old medical research centre, and a major bridge near Tehran which was said to be one of the tallest in the Middle East.
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Before a two-week ceasefire was agreed on Wednesday, with negotiations for a peace deal to start on Friday, US President Donald Trump had threatened to destroy bridges, power plants and other civilian facilities in Iran if it did not agree to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
01:31
US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire amid Pakistani mediation efforts
US and Iran agree to 2-week ceasefire amid Pakistani mediation efforts
So far, more than 67,000 civilian facilities in Iran have been attacked – including nearly 500 schools and more than 200 health centres, according to data released last week by the Iranian Red Crescent Society.
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Analysts said the conflict – as well as the Russia-Ukraine war – appeared to be moving away from precision strikes on limited military assets towards a broader approach targeting energy and civilian sites.
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