Iran’s military may be badly damaged by the U.S. and Israel’s campaign. But that damage has exposed a more enduring threat: asymmetric warfare, in which individuals or small groups of militants can pose threats strategic to the American military.

Iran’s military may be badly damaged by the U.S. and Israel’s campaign. But that damage has exposed a more enduring threat: asymmetric warfare, in which individuals or small groups of militants can pose threats strategic to the American military.

  • GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca
    16·
    2 days ago

    Not necessarily lucky. There are basically only two reasons why an F-15 would be flying that low over Iran:

    • The threat of high level AD is too high to risk flying high, forcing the F-15 to operate below the radar horizon
    • Stockpiles of precision guided bombs are low enough that they have to use dumb bombs, thus needing to fly low to be accurate.

    I think the former is more likely than the latter, though in the best case scenario it’s a mix of both. In either case, it’s less luck than the US hitting a limiting factor in its operations and being forced into a position where MANPADS are a threat to fighters

    • yesman@lemmy.world
      4·
      2 days ago

      They’re flying B52s over Iran now.

      Trump’s rhetoric can’t stop SAMs so if Iran still has that capability I’d be curious why they’re not using it. Remember it’s still the US military, and squashing air defenses is like their whole deal.

      • GuyIncognito@lemmy.ca
        6·
        2 days ago

        Over, or near? If over what part of Iran? So far, as far as I’m aware, they’ve been using the B-52s with standoff munitions. Maybe they’re using them on Kharg island, but that’s an island off the coast. The air defences are going to get thicker when they get further into the country.