Middle East War: Blitzkrieg Fails and Conflict Becomes Prolonged

The war in the Middle East is daily causing thousands of human tragedies and inflicting colossal material damage on all involved nations. Currently, parties continue exchanging missile strikes, and hostilities are gradually turning into a grim routine: what is unfolding before our eyes is the worst-case scenario — a bloody meat grinder that seems almost impossible to halt.

On March 3, the conflict spilled over into Lebanon, while explosions continued to echo in Tehran, Tel Aviv, and across the Arab Gulf states.

In the Iranian city of Minab, thousands of mourners — crying, burning with anger, overwhelmed by pain and hatred — bid farewell to those killed in a missile strike. A total of 165 graves, mostly of children, received the bodies of schoolgirls and their teachers. This tragedy is rapidly transforming into one of the many deadly episodes of a war increasingly claiming innocent lives, plunging millions into poverty and despair. The United Nations issued a stern, though likely ineffectual, call for an immediate investigation to identify those responsible for what is being called Minab’s “hellish nightmare.”

Shamdasani, a UN Human Rights Office representative, stated: "Currently, beyond Iran and Israel, twelve other countries have been affected, with private homes, offices, enterprises, airports, and civilian infrastructure damaged or destroyed. According to Iran’s Red Crescent, the death toll there has reached 787. Dozens of girls have been killed or wounded in an elementary school in Minab. The High Commissioner calls for an immediate, impartial, and thorough investigation into the circumstances of the attack. Responsibility for this investigation lies with the forces that carried out the assault."

Even within the United States, public dissatisfaction with the Iran conflict is growing. According to various polls, only about a third to a quarter of Americans support the war. The ruling elite is also divided on the issue and its inevitable tragic consequences.

Gavin Newsom, Governor of California, remarked: "Are we supposed to accept that our bombs or Israel’s are killing children, schoolgirls? What exactly did they threaten us with? No one has clarified that!"

In the U.S. Congress, efforts are underway to determine the true cause and primary objective of this war. Interpretations vary significantly: leaders of the American-Israeli coalition claim the goal is to prevent Iran’s nuclear ambitions and diminish its military capabilities.

Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, stated: “North Korea has nuclear weapons, but they don’t shout ‘Death to America.’ Iran is fifty North Koreas!”

Mike Johnson, U.S. House Speaker, added: “The aim was not regime change. It was to destroy Iran’s short- and medium-range missile capabilities and their production facilities. We achieved that — that was our top priority. The second goal was to eliminate their naval capabilities.”

U.S. negotiators with Iran report that Tehran’s representatives have categorically refused concessions and claim their country already possesses the capability to produce eleven nuclear warheads. Even if true, the chances of crippling Iran’s nuclear program through missile strikes are slim: by March 3, the fourth day of the conflict, the coalition managed to hit one nuclear site, with damage deemed minor by the IAEA. Most missile strikes target military and civilian infrastructure.

On March 3, Iran’s newly appointed Defense Minister was killed, and military barracks were struck.

However, Tehran insists that military operations are decentralized and that no attack can paralyze its command. In this situation, the conflict risks sinking into a vicious, endless cycle — only exhaustion of human and military resources can bring it to an end.

Sergei Lavrov, Russian Foreign Minister, emphasized: "We believe it is critically important to resolutely call for an immediate cessation of hostilities by all parties. We hear about the goals of this war, but there is still no evidence that Iran was developing nuclear weapons — which is the main, if not the sole, justification for the conflict."

Currently, the transportation of oil and gas through the Strait of Hormuz has nearly come to a halt. Drone attacks have also affected Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities and Qatar. No one is taking responsibility for the attack on Saudi Aramco; opponents blame each other for trying to drag Saudi Arabia into the war.

Sentiments on the Arab street tend to be pro-Iranian — many in the Gulf states express genuine sympathy for their fellow Shia. For example, an American pilot shot down by Kuwaiti air defense was nearly killed by angry protesters.

U.S. President Donald Trump had promised to end the war within four weeks, but by March 3, the mood in the White House had grown less optimistic. It is known that U.S. missile stockpiles of Tomahawks used to strike Iran are running low. U.S. missile defense systems in Gulf countries reportedly shot down around 500 Iranian rockets and over 100 drones. However, the rapid consumption of ammunition has led Bloomberg to predict a reduction in U.S. military supplies to Ukraine. The agency opines that “Putin is emerging as the main winner in the Iran war.”

Both Iran and the United States insist the war has not yet truly begun.

Senator Marco Rubio warned: “I won’t reveal details of our tactical operations, but the most severe U.S. strikes are still ahead. The next phase will be even more devastating for Iran than what we’ve seen so far.”

Israel’s military, the IDF, is not only taking the conflict seriously but is also expanding its scope. On March 3, Israeli troops entered Lebanon, where residents of 80 towns have been ordered to evacuate. The plan is to establish a buffer zone to protect Israel from attacks by Hezbollah.

Internationally, attitudes toward the Middle East conflict are becoming increasingly polarized. France, Britain, and Germany have expressed support for Iran, while Belgium, following Spain, condemned the escalation as a violation of international law.

The war is unlikely to turn into a quick Israeli-American blitzkrieg, especially as it has already sown divisions even among Israel’s allies.