Jul 24, 2026 · 1 hr 32 min · 7 segments
What is the United States really trying to achieve with its expanding military campaign inside Iran? As US strikes move deeper into Iran, targeting military sites, logistics networks and critical…
Saad Bin Tafla Al-AjmiGuest
John SpencerGuest
Negar MojtahediHost
Shahin MilaniGuest
Brandon SilverGuest
Azadeh AfsahiGuest
So night after night, we've watched another round of U.S. strikes inside of Iran.
Joining me now is John Spencer, retired U.S. Army officer and executive chair of the Urban Warfare Studies.
So the first wave of targets really focus heavily on coastal radar, anti-ship missiles, drone facilities, command and control sites and Iran's ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
Now we're seeing bridges, railways, airports, communications infrastructure and logistic networks increasingly targeting especially Iran's southern region.
So what does that shift tell you about where this military campaign is in the moment? And more importantly, what will all of this do to aid in the U.S.
objectives here? But I think before we can answer that question, I guess I have to ask you, what is the end game so that we can understand if those objectives, what they are, first of all, and if they're being met?
It's a great question, and I wish we would communicate it clearer than we have.
If you go back to February 28th, the U.S. president gave a speech, outlined four objectives.
And I am also a student of war, understanding that objectives can change, but I would still stick to – It'd be great to have a more official speech on the objectives being, of course, the non-nuclear proliferation, the fact that the Islamic regime shall not have a nuclear weapons program at all, period.
And Originally, it was the Navy, which was related to the ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
the regime playing this economic nuclear card on the Strait of Hormuz and the global economy, you can do that once.
But we're already seeing with restarting the pipeline in Iraq, the other existing oil pipelines and other aspects to make the Strait less relevant or less vulnerable, as well as which I think is the end game.
So night after night, we've watched another round of U.S. strikes inside of Iran.
Joining me now is John Spencer, retired U.S. Army officer and executive chair of the Urban Warfare Studies.
So the first wave of targets really focus heavily on coastal radar, anti-ship missiles, drone facilities, command and control sites and Iran's ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
Now we're seeing bridges, railways, airports, communications infrastructure and logistic networks increasingly targeting especially Iran's southern region.
So what does that shift tell you about where this military campaign is in the moment? And more importantly, what will all of this do to aid in the U.S.
objectives here? But I think before we can answer that question, I guess I have to ask you, what is the end game so that we can understand if those objectives, what they are, first of all, and if they're being met?
It's a great question, and I wish we would communicate it clearer than we have.
If you go back to February 28th, the U.S. president gave a speech, outlined four objectives.
And I am also a student of war, understanding that objectives can change, but I would still stick to – It'd be great to have a more official speech on the objectives being, of course, the non-nuclear proliferation, the fact that the Islamic regime shall not have a nuclear weapons program at all, period.
And Originally, it was the Navy, which was related to the ability to threaten the Strait of Hormuz.
the regime playing this economic nuclear card on the Strait of Hormuz and the global economy, you can do that once.
But we're already seeing with restarting the pipeline in Iraq, the other existing oil pipelines and other aspects to make the Strait less relevant or less vulnerable, as well as which I think is the end game.
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