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United States intelligence assessments indicate that Iran’s leadership has become “more hardline” despite weeks of Israeli and U.S. strikes and is likely to “remain in place for now,” according to a report.
A report by The Washington Post on Tuesday, citing sources familiar with the matter, said U.S. intelligence findings show that U.S.-Israeli attacks since Feb. 28 have not created overt “cracks or defections” within Iran’s power structure.
The sources said that while the attacks have weakened Iran militarily, they have not triggered a breakdown within the government, instead contributing to a more “entrenched” system under the control of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
The report said U.S. intelligence predicted Iran’s regime “will remain intact and possibly even emboldened, believing it stood up to Trump and survived,” before U.S. President Donald Trump “gave the go-ahead to jointly launch the war with Israel.”
The report also said U.S. allies in the region are “angered and alarmed” by the prolonged conflict and their exposure to direct Iranian retaliation, adding that civilian infrastructure across regional countries is increasingly under threat.
Hostilities have escalated since Israel and the United States launched joint attacks on Iran on Feb. 28.
The strikes have killed about 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian authorities.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties, damaging infrastructure and disrupting global markets and aviation.
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