WASHINGTON, July 23. /TASS/. The US air campaign against Iran is running out of momentum, and the conflict is unlikely to shift decisively without a major escalation, including the deployment of ground forces, Politico reported, citing experts and sources.
The news outlet noted that the United States has been conducting airstrikes against Iran for nearly two weeks after the latest ceasefire collapsed over alleged Iranian attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would destroy one bridge or one power plant in Iran in response to every attack on a vessel in the Strait of Hormuz.
"Unless the administration is willing to sharply up the ante -- perhaps by substantially expanding the list of acceptable targets or even deploying ground forces -- the current cycle of attack and counter-attack will likely continue without a clear endgame or offramp from the White House," the news outlet wrote.
A retired senior US military officer said on the condition of anonymity that the US military only gets mired in protracted conflicts when it's wishy-washy about what it's willing to do.
