Let's talk about the US hitting Iran last night.... - Belle of the Ranch

Well, howdy there Internet people. It's Belle again. So, today we're going to talk about what happened while you were sleeping.

News started breaking early this morning at about 1:40 Eastern time, that an air campaign was underway, and that Iran was being hit. In line with the Trump administration's wishes to manage the narrative in hopes of getting Americans to rally behind the effort, the early reporting cast the operation as a preemptive operation by Israel. If you're wondering how we got here, there will be links down below to go over everything from the framing to the recent briefing of the Gang of Eight.

A spokesperson said, "The state of Israel has launched a preemptive strike against Iran to remove threats against the state of Israel. As a result, a missile and UAV attack against the state of Israel and its civilian population is expected in the immediate time frame."

About half an hour later, it started being confirmed that US forces were also involved in the operation, and a US official characterized the strikes as a joint operation. These were not small strikes and didn't really appear limited in scope. We've got reports of strikes hitting military, intelligence, and governmental targets. It's coming from air and sea with an unknown number of American aircraft and dozens of Tomahawks entering Iranian airspace.

A member of Iran's parliament posted a defiant message to social media saying, "We warned you. Now you've started down a path and the end is no longer in your hands." Missiles were launched by Iran at targets all over the region. There is dramatic footage circulating on social media of a Fifth Fleet facility in Bahrain getting hit. Rumor mill is that most if not all staff were evacuated before the strike.

A video message from Trump was posted to social media in which he announced, "A short time ago, the United States military began major combat operations in Iran." Major combat operations is a term I would have preferred not to hear. During his address, he listed off US targets, including the destruction of their navy and missile production capabilities. He also encouraged their military to surrender in exchange for immunity. Then he closed by encouraging the Iranian people to overthrow their government, saying, "Stay sheltered. Don't leave your home. It's very dangerous outside. Bombs will be dropping everywhere. When we are finished, take over your government. It will be yours to take.”

Trump also told the country to expect American casualties. If there is a bit of good news in this, the early indications are that Trump doesn't intend on putting substantial boots on the ground, if any. If the current government in Iran falls, it's unclear what kind of government would rise in its place. It's worth noting that this operation coincided with several anti-government protests at universities.

As the night went on, it became harder and harder to get direct information from within Iran as communication sites went down or were hit. Republican representative Thomas Massie was also up in the middle of the night and posted, “Acts of war unauthorized by Congress. The US is attacking Iran according to AP.”

By the looks of things, this will be going on for a while. The US obtaining air superiority is kind of a given. The actual plan isn't. We'll keep you updated.

Anyway, it's just a thought. Y'all have a good day.