Joe Biden must not leave the field to Iran, Putin and Erdoğan. Without US influence, it is difficult to implement a solution for the Middle East.
It's a painful needle prick tactic. The Americans should be worn out by constant attacks. This time, the blow suffered by American troops was even more severe than the previous one. The drone attack on the US base Tower 22, in northern Jordan, cost the lives of three soldiers – a provocation that could only result in a harsh response from Washington.
The region's Iranian-allied militias are testing how far they can go – and are increasing their numbers: Hezbollah is firing rockets into northern Israel. Yemen's Houthi troops are endangering shipping in the Red Sea – and are unimpressed by US counterattacks so far. Militias in Iraq and Syria even directly target US soldiers. Since the Hamas terrorist massacre in Israel and the subsequent Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip, Tehran's allies have intensified their actions. They want to support Hamas. But there is also a long-term strategy behind this: the US should disappear from Iraq and Syria if possible. This is what not only those in power in Iran want, but also other forces in the region.
Free rein in Iraq and Syria?
At the same time, the regime in Tehran is trying to play the innocent lamb: it claims it had nothing to do with the attack on the US base in Jordan. It may be that the self-proclaimed “Axis of Resistance”, sponsored by Iran, is going overboard in its rage. But the threads come together in Tehran.