Iran’s revolutionary guard prepares for wider confrontation
“We took full advantage of the ceasefire period,” Revolutionary Guard spokesman Brig Gen Hossein Mohebbi said in July, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The Revolutionary Guard also used the period to coordinate its strategy with allied militias across the region, according to the report. Iran-backed groups subsequently carried out attacks that affected Saudi energy infrastructure, while Iran expanded strikes targeting US military personnel and attacked targets in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to the report. The Revolutionary Guard has now prepared new options for further military escalation, according to Iranian officials and public statements cited by the WSJ.
“We enhanced our capabilities, accelerated our missile production rate and improved missile accuracy.
However, Iran’s hard-line leadership viewed the agreement differently, according to Iranian and Arab officials cited by the WSJ. Following US president Donald Trump’s signing of a memorandum of understanding with Iran in mid-June, Washington expected the agreement to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin winding down the conflict. They believed it could be an effort by the US and Israel to ease global economic pressure while buying time to prepare for a larger attack.