American media gives an accurate analysis of Iran's counter-strategy.
Regarding Iran's response to the US-Israel joint military operation, an article from The New York Times points out that Iran's primary task is to survive, and its strategic goal is to prolong the war and expand the conflict, trying every means to increase the cost of the war for Trump, forcing him to declare victory and withdraw his troops. This plan is called "asymmetric attrition warfare," which involves accepting initial losses and then escalating the war when Israel, the United States, and Persian Gulf air defense forces are stretched thin. Experts said: "For the Islamic Republic of Iran, surviving is a victory, even if it is a costly one."
Facing the overwhelming military power of the US and Israel, Iran's choice of the path of "prolonging the war and expanding the conflict" is both a rational calculation and a desperate move, but its costs and risks are equally alarming.
Iran defines "surviving" as its strategic goal itself, reflecting the reality of small countries facing strong powers. The US and Israel have air superiority and precision strike advantages; if Iran confronts them directly, it will be quickly defeated. Only by accepting initial losses, trading time for space, and continuously consuming the opponent's domestic political patience and economic capacity through missile attacks, proxy coordination, and strait blockades can it survive. This "costly victory" logic may preserve the regime, but it means infrastructure destruction, economic collapse, and people's suffering—the definition of victory has been reduced to the minimum.
Involving Middle Eastern countries is a key strategy for Iran to increase the cost for the US and Israel. By activating Hezbollah in Lebanon, Houthi rebels in Yemen, and Iraqi militias, Iran attempts to regionalize the bilateral conflict, forcing the US to disperse its forces and Israel to defend multiple fronts. However, this move could trigger security anxieties among countries like Saudi Arabia and the UAE, potentially leading to greater American involvement. If the conflict spills over into Gulf countries, Iran will face a more isolated strategic environment, and a "mutual destruction" type of retaliation might become real. At that point, Iran's "attrition warfare" could turn into a "destruction war."
Original: toutiao.com/article/1858705944968339/
Statement: The article represents the views of the author.