US Strikes on Iranian Targets Jeopardize Peace Framework and Gulf Shipping

The attacks jeopardize a temporary peace framework that the Trump administration has trumpeted as an effective means for lasting peace in the region and the end of Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

Negotiations have been ongoing, and the president and his administration have issued several public statements claiming Iran has agreed to keep the strait open and allow for an inspections regime of its nuclear program.

The U.S. strikes were in keeping with other recent airstrikes on Iranian targets, and appeared calculated to keep any new flare-up in fighting to a minimum. American aircraft have hit similar targets several times over the past several weeks, and each time U.S. officials have characterized them as “defensive” in nature.

The U.S. retains a formidable military presence in the region, with around 50,000 troops on the ground and at sea. Two aircraft carriers remain prowling the Gulf of Oman, along with several destroyers and submarines in the region capable of firing long-range missiles deep inland.

There are also about 2,500 Marines aboard the USS Tripoli and accompanying ships on station as well, with another 2,500 en route, currently in the Pacific.

Friday’s strikes represent a low-point in peace negotiations aiming for a permanent end to the war. Pakistani and Qatari mediators had said earlier this week that the first round of negotiations between the U.S. and Iran had been productive, and Israel and Lebanon brokered a peace framework with the U.S. earlier Friday, though details on the agreement were not released.

The attacks further complicate the immediate future of one of the world’s most vital shipping arteries. The United Nations-backed International Maritime Organization scuttled its efforts at evacuating shipping vessels stuck in the Persian Gulf following the drone attack Thursday.