Destruction of Bridges and Civilian Facilities: What Are the Objectives of the New American Plan in Iran?

SadaNews - The American strikes nearing the end of their first week against Iran are witnessing a radical shift in the nature of the targets. They are no longer confined to military sites and missile launch and storage platforms, as was the case in the initial days of the attacks, but have expanded to include civilian infrastructure, indicating the beginning of a new military strategy that goes beyond limited deterrence and signals, in the eyes of analysts, a slide into a full-scale war. On Friday night, the United States escalated its military operations against Iran, targeting several infrastructure facilities. The strikes targeted six bridges in Hormozgan province, in addition to a railway junction station in Bandar Abbas. The US also targeted Iran's Iranshahr airport in Sistan and Baluchestan province, and bombed the maritime control tower in Chabahar city twice, leading to its complete destruction, as well as striking power transmission lines connecting major cities along the Iranian coast, along with Iranian radar and surveillance systems. An Open Military Campaign The American administration is treating the current strikes against Iran as part of an open military campaign with no time constraints, with clear messages that the pace will increase. It is clear to observers that the American strikes are shifting from targeting military capabilities to targeting the infrastructure that ensures the continuation of Iranian operations, especially in the Strait of Hormuz, as the United States ultimately seeks to wrest control of the strait from Iran. However, in pursuing this goal, what does the US seek by striking the infrastructure in Iran? Isolating the Coast and Cutting Supply Lines The southern coastal strip of Iran, from Khuzestan province to Sistan and Baluchestan, has been subjected to repeated attacks, while Bandar Abbas city, the main maritime center of Iran and the naval arm of the Revolutionary Guard, overlooking the Strait of Hormuz, is among the cities most affected by American shelling. In its analysis, CNN concludes that Washington sees control over the southern coastal strip of Iran as the "only and decisive solution" to address the challenge at Hormuz. Cutting Supply Arteries By targeting the six bridges in Hormozgan province, which includes the area of Hormuz, along with striking the railways in Bandar Abbas, the US military aims to isolate the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and cut the supply lines leading to its most important military bases, as revealed by Fox News. Mark Hilborne, a professor at King’s College London, confirms that bridges have become a particular focus for the US, as they support Iranian military logistics in the south of the country. Hilborne adds to Al Jazeera, "The bridges enable the transfer of equipment to the south. Attacking them would undermine Iran’s ability to intervene in maritime traffic in the strait and to maintain operations there." Disabling Surveillance Systems The targeted strikes were not limited to land routes but extended to include strategic port facilities, especially the control tower at Shahid Kalantari Port in Chabahar, where the American bombardment led to its destruction. The US Central Command acknowledges that it targeted the tower, noting it was part of a maritime surveillance network along the Iranian coast facing the Gulf of Oman. The US command stated in a statement on Friday evening that this tower was part of the network used by the Revolutionary Guard for decades to track and target commercial ships transiting through the Strait of Hormuz. Preparing for Ground Invasion The strikes have gone beyond just targeting bridges and transportation routes, extending to water facilities, food storage, and energy infrastructure, which are extremely sensitive and crucial sites if Washington is preparing for a ground operation in southern Iran. American reinforcements on the ground reflect the seriousness of this possibility, as the Central Command revealed that over 50,000 American troops are currently deployed in the Middle East in full combat readiness. Simon Mabon, a professor of international relations at Lancaster University, interprets the pattern of recent strikes as a "prelude to a ground invasion," pointing to the increasing rhetoric in the United States suggesting that securing the Strait of Hormuz and the southern coast of Iran may require ground forces. However, Mabon cautions to Al Jazeera, "But I don’t think this is the most likely scenario." Dual Maximum Pressure According to the Associated Press, there is a possibility that American strikes will escalate further, potentially disrupting the movement of essential services and goods for Iran’s population of 90 million. On Friday, the Iranian Ministry of Energy called on citizens to conserve electricity to help ensure energy supplies to the southern regions, following the American attacks targeting electricity infrastructure in those areas. In general, analysts believe that targeting dual-purpose infrastructure, military and civilian, indicates President Donald Trump’s desire to exert maximum pressure to force Tehran to reverse its closure of the Strait of Hormuz and push it back to the negotiating table. Axios reported that President Trump is considering launching a wide-ranging attack on Iran, extending beyond current strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. However, Lancaster University academic Mabon warns that targeting civilian infrastructure will not necessarily lead the Iranian people to revolt against their government, noting that such attacks may reinforce Tehran’s narrative that Washington intentionally inflicts suffering on Iranian civilians. How Will Iran Respond? In contrast, Tehran announces that it will respond to the American attacks in kind, declaring targeted strikes on infrastructure, roads, and corridors, in addition to military bases and radars in the region. According to Iranian officials, their country is preparing options that go beyond air bombardment, indicating potential ground landing options, and attempts to seize Iranian islands. Iran’s First Vice President stated that the country’s response to "the aggression on any inch of our land will be decisive and beyond the usual calculations." Iranian state media, citing a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Commission of the Iranian Parliament, Aladdin Boroujerdi, reported that targeting the country’s vital infrastructure is a clear example of a total war, adding, "Although American officials have repeatedly stated that they do not seek a large-scale war with Iran." Meanwhile, the "Noor News" network, close to Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, reported that the new American strategy is no longer aimed at achieving a quick victory but rather at undermining Iran and weakening its capabilities. The Iranian network commented, "It is necessary to change the war strategy from responding to attacks to taking actions that impose costs on the other side," stressing that countries that "have laid the groundwork and infrastructure to facilitate American aggression against Iran" are part of the war and cannot avoid its consequences. A month ago, Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding that included a ceasefire, and they began negotiations mediated by Pakistan and Qatar to end the war launched by the US and Israel on Iran on February 28. About a week ago, tensions escalated over the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran announced that it would close the strait and prevent maritime navigation there, while the US resumed its naval blockade on ships heading to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas.