Kathmandu: The ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran has intensified with extensive Israeli airstrikes causing widespread destruction inside Iran, targeting hundreds of strategic locations. In retaliation, Iran has launched missile attacks on multiple major Israeli cities, inflicting significant damage.
Amid rising tensions, speculation grows that the U.S. may directly enter the war to support Israel. U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly approved plans for a potential attack on Iran but is awaiting final orders.
However, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has dismissed U.S. threats and warned of severe consequences if America joins the conflict. Similarly, Mahmoud Nabavian, Deputy Chairman of Iran’s Parliamentary National Security Committee, recently stated, “It is easier for us to attack U.S. military bases than to strike Israel. If America attacks Iran, it should prepare 50,000 coffins for its soldiers.”
This is not mere rhetoric. Historically, even during grave crises, the U.S. has refrained from direct military strikes on Iran, preferring sanctions and indirect measures.
Why U.S. Bases Are Easier Targets Than Israel
Geopolitically and militarily, Iran’s strategic calculations favor targeting U.S. military installations over Israeli territory. Several factors explain this:
- Proximity and Accessibility: The largest U.S. base in the region, Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, is only about 300 kilometers from Iran and hosts over 10,000 troops and 100+ aircraft.
- Regional Presence: Over 2,500 American troops are deployed in Iraq near the Iranian border, with additional forces stationed in northeastern Syria, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, and Saudi Arabia. These bases fall well within the range of Iranian ballistic missiles.
- Proxy Support: Iran-backed militias such as Kataib Hezbollah, the Houthis in Yemen, and Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq operate close to U.S. bases, facilitating proxy attacks and complicating direct U.S. defense.
- Military Assets: Two U.S. aircraft carrier groups operate in the Middle East, capable of rapid deployment of thousands of troops and aircraft, making the region highly militarized and contested.
Implications
An American entry into the conflict risks a broad escalation, with multiple U.S. bases exposed to missile and proxy attacks. Iran’s strategy leverages geography, proxy forces, and missile capabilities to exert pressure without direct confrontation, highlighting the complexity and volatility of the current Middle East crisis.
In summary, while Israel faces missile strikes and attacks within its cities, Iran’s capacity to target U.S. forces is enhanced by regional proximity and allied militias, making U.S. bases a more accessible and strategically viable target in this explosive conflict.
