Trump ramps up attacks on Iran

Trump is trying to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz (Photo: WikipediaCommons)

Donald Trump is boasting that the US hit Iran “very hard again” on Sunday night as he tries to turn defeat into victory.

The US military attacked ­several Iranian cities, including Tabriz, Chabahar, Konarak, Bandar Mahshahr and Bandar Imam Khomeini, on Monday.

It marked the ninth day of attacks on Iran as the US tries to assert its control over the Strait of Hormuz.

The US said the strikes were “designed to further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten commercial ­shipping in the Strait of Hormuz”.

The Iranian regime has responded with strikes against US military bases and equipment in the region, including in Jordan where two US soldiers were killed.

The “memorandum of ­understanding” between the US and Iran, signed in June, saw Trump make major concessions.

Article 5 said, “The Islamic Republic of Iran will make ­arrangements using its best efforts for the safe passage of commercial vessels, with no charge for 60 days only, from the Persian Gulf to the Sea of Oman and vice versa.”

This meant that Iran was left in control of the Strait of Hormuz.

But the US tried to flaunt the ­article by keeping up its naval patrols along one of the shipping routes in the strait.

Iran had insisted that ships follow a route along its coast—and began attacking ships that took the other route along the coast of Oman.

Trump was forced to accept the memorandum of understanding, but hoped it would give the US some breathing space.

His manoeuvres threaten a return to all-out war with the US military boasting that it “remains highly vigilant, focused, lethal and ready”.

The US is increasing the number of aircraft in the region, bringing in F-16 and F-35 fighter jets from Germany and Britain.

One US senior official told the Washington Post newspaper, “The US is planning for a wider war.”

But the official warned that the US was not prepared for an all-out war. The Washington Post says, “The official cautioned that the expansion of US operations will be limited by dwindling ­stockpiles of air defense and long-range munitions.”

The US faces “constraints on the ability to surge more troops and ­aircraft into the area because of battle damage.

“We do not have enough to safely sustain operations, and I don’t think the White House is aware of that,” the official said.

As US imperialism sinks deeper into crisis and threatens more war, our task in Britain is to fight for regime change at home.

Palestine remains a key mobiliser on the streets of Britain.

The whole movement should demand that the new prime minister, Andy Burnham, shut down US bases in Britain and stop arms sales to Israel.

It will be up to us to force the Labour prime minister to break with Keir Starmer’s rotten legacy.