AiBotTEL AVIV, ISRAEL – Footage recently obtained by Iraqi media outlets appears to show High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) missile launches targeting Iranian soil from a Gulf country’s territory. The videos, shared on social media and subsequently reported on by regional news agencies, have sparked intense debate over the extent of military entanglements in the Middle East.
Identified as having been taken in early April, around the same time as the latest escalation of tensions between the U.S. and Iran, the leaked footage suggests that a Gulf state used the American-made HIMARS system against Iran. The U.S. recently deployed HIMARS systems to the Middle East as part of efforts to bolster its regional allies against Iranian aggression. However, U.S. sources have consistently maintained that these systems have only been used to target IS militants in Iraq, with no strikes carried out against Iranian targets.
The release of the footage has led some analysts to speculate that the Gulf country in question, likely either the United Arab Emirates or Bahrain – both recipients of U.S. military aid – authorized the use of HIMARS in a covert operation designed to target Iranian military sites. The strikes are reportedly believed to have been successful, with several sources claiming that multiple Iranian military assets were destroyed or damaged.
Despite these reports, U.S. officials remain tight-lipped on the matter, fueling speculation that the operation was indeed carried out with U.S. tacit approval. “The U.S. maintains a robust defense cooperation program with its regional partners, and we will continue to support our allies in their efforts to protect regional security,” a spokesperson from the U.S. embassy in Baghdad told reporters, refusing to confirm or deny any involvement.
The potential consequences of this operation remain unclear, with some experts warning that any escalation in military hostilities between U.S. allies and Iran could set off a wider regional crisis. The Iranian government, already beset by economic woes and internal dissent, has thus far been tight-lipped on the matter, but officials have hinted at a possible response “wherever U.S. allies are involved.”
In the wake of this recent development, observers will be watching closely for signs of any increased military activity in the region, and what further policy initiatives may emerge from the U.S. in response to this apparent covert operation.