US Limits Attacks to Southern Iran Due to Deterrence, Iranian Military Synergy

The United States is limiting its attacks to the south of Iran due to the strong deterrence created by the synergy between the Iranian Army and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to a report by Mehr News Agency. The unified command and coordination between these forces have created a single military will that the enemy cannot easily breach.

When the Navy of the Army operates under a unified and coordinated command with the IRGC and support forces, the enemy faces a single military will rather than several separate organizations. This synergy connects various layers, from fast attack craft and submarines to reconnaissance drones and coastal missiles, all operating within a single communications network. A show of force such as closing the Strait of Hormuz sends a message that there are no internal divisions on the battlefield.

A recent meeting between Army and IRGC spokespersons demonstrated the deepening cohesion and synergy between the two forces. They discussed shared media strategies and cooperation, with the Army declaring firm support for the IRGC against attempts to label it as a terrorist organization. Agreements were reached on coordinated reflection of the armed forces' performance in the imposed war.

Major General Rahim Safavi, Senior Aide and Advisor to the Commander-in-Chief, revealed new details of the plan to close the Strait of Hormuz. In a television interview, he said that in 2011-2012, the then Leader of the Islamic Revolution summoned him and asked for a plan to close the strait. Within one month, in cooperation with Brigadier General Fadavi, Brigadier General Hajizadeh, and Major General Salami, a comprehensive 10-to-15-page plan was prepared covering from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman. This plan was presented to the Leader and then communicated to the General Staff of the Armed Forces.

Deterrence occurs when the enemy concludes that the cost of an attack far outweighs its potential benefit. The synergy of the armed forces reinforces this deterrence, as seen in the 12-day and 40-day wars and the current conflict. When synergy leads to real action such as closing the Strait, the enemy understands that Iran possesses both the capability and the practical will to carry out its threats.

The enemy usually plans based on perceived weaknesses and internal divisions. However, after witnessing Iran's show of force, it realizes that full synergy exists and its calculations about fragmentation are wrong. In the two imposed wars, the enemy aimed to destroy Iranian military capability, but as Brigadier General Ibn al-Reza, Acting Minister of Defense, stated, Iran's defense industry not only did not halt but continues its technological leap based on indigenous knowledge.

This calculative failure leads the enemy to conclude that direct confrontation will result in its painful defeat. Therefore, the US limits its attacks to the south of the country, avoiding expansion to Tehran and other provinces. It knows that expanding aggression would lead to a quagmire from which it cannot extricate itself. The deterrence born of armed forces' interaction pushes the enemy back, forcing it to change strategy and retreat, as no rapid victory is possible against an integrated system. According to Mehr News Agency, this analysis explains why the US is limiting its attacks to southern Iran.