Airstrikes kill Iran’s Supreme Leader, conflicts escalate in the Middle East

The United States and Israel have launched an airstrike attack on Iran, killing the Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and members of his cabinet.

Despite the conflicting reports on why the airstrikes occurred, President Trump said it was to destroy the country’s missile capabilities, annihilate its navy, end its nuclear ambitions, and prevent it from arming terrorists. President Trump clarified that he thinks the “war” will continue for the next four to five weeks.

Iran has launched their own attacks against several regions in the Middle East, including Dubai and Israel, which has led to the death of four U.S. servicemen. No clear leadership has been established yet in Iran.

Dr. Evelyn Farkas, executive director at the McCain Institute, joined “Arizona Horizon” to discuss these attacks in more detail and what they mean for the future of this conflict.

“We have President Trump behaving in the way that US presidents really haven’t behaved in the recent past,” Dr. Farkas said, “…in the fact that he has launched military operations without consulting with Congress, without trying to get the American people on board.”

Dr. Farkas highlighted that this had happened previously with the attack on Venezuela and now with the ongoing war in Iran. According to Dr. Farkas, Iran has been an enemy to the United States since 1979, when the religious autocracy, the ayatollahs, grabbed power in a revolution.

“…famously taking Americans hostage in our embassy,” Dr. Farkas discussed, “…and ever since then we’ve been in an adversary relationship with Iran…President Trump has decided to not only take out the nuclear weapons program, but to…severely diminish Iran’s military capabilities.”

The United States has already killed the Supreme Leader of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, meaning the leadership position is vacant. Iran has a council according to their constitution, which primarily consists of the elites, who are designated to select the next Supreme Leader. However, it is unclear whether those standards will remain in place.

“Whoever they pick will be at risk of being eliminated by force,” Dr. Farkas said, “…because the United States is continuing to put military pressure on Iran…the objective is to get Iran to capitulate.”