Reports: Attacks by Iran's Proxies Decrease Following Death of Three American Soldiers

Reports indicate that since February 26, when three American soldiers were killed in a drone attack by Iran's proxies on a base in Jordan near the Syrian border, attacks by forces supported by the Islamic Republic have decreased. However, American lawmakers warned that this calm does not reduce the risks of regional conflict. According to a report from the Voice of America from Congress, Ben Cardin, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, stated in a session on Wednesday, March 1, that 'Iran does not have full command and control of its operations. This turns the status quo into a very dangerous situation, one that requires careful American leadership with open eyes. The risks of miscalculation could not only lead to another deadly attack against American forces but could also result in a full-scale regional war.' The U.S. military announced that American forces and a coalition shot down five Houthi drones late Tuesday in the Red Sea. U.S. Central Command – CENTCOM – stated that these drones were launched from areas in Yemen controlled by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, and these drones posed 'an imminent threat to commercial vessels and to the U.S. Navy and coalition ships in the region.' These latest attacks come in response to Houthi assaults on ships in the Red Sea. The Houthis claimed that these attacks are in solidarity with the people of Gaza. The White House described the February 26 attack as 'despicable and completely unjustified' and in a retaliatory move on February 8, targeted and killed the leader of the Kata'ib Hezbollah group in an airstrike. Senate Republicans described the Biden administration's overall approach to Iran as weak. Senator Jim Risch, a Republican member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, urged the administration to do better to deprive the Iranian government of resources used for terrorist acts: 'The Biden administration has yet to articulate a coherent policy for Iran outside of nuclear negotiations. It is time to change course. We need to adopt a policy of containment.' Brian Hook, the U.S. Special Representative for Iran during the Trump administration, told senators, 'I believe Iran knows that due to the Biden administration's deep aversion to defensive military action, it can safely expand its resistance axis. The Biden administration is seeking de-escalation, and the Iranian regime is advancing under this strategy.' The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is reviewing Risch's bill for better enforcement of U.S. sanctions on Iranian oil. A Voice of America reporter quoted Senator Chris Murphy, a Democrat, stating that 'Iran is always confident that Hezbollah gets what it needs. Their support for proxies is a very low-cost way to provoke the United States. It would be foolish to think that oil sanctions here would change Iran's decision to finance a group like Hezbollah.' On Wednesday, March 1, a hearing titled 'Tehran's Secret Army: The Islamic Republic's Proxy Networks in the Middle East' was held in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In this session, many committee members emphasized the need for 'serious enforcement' of U.S. sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran. Brian Hook, the Special Envoy for Iran at the State Department during the Trump administration, and Suzanne Maloney, Deputy and Director of Foreign Policy at the Brookings Institution in Washington, answered senators' questions during this session. Brian Hook emphasized the importance of limiting the oil revenues used by the Islamic Republic to finance its proxy groups in the region and also the return of the 'maximum pressure' policy. He stated that during Donald Trump's presidency, severe oil sanctions were imposed, reducing Iran's oil exports by up to eighty percent. Chris Murphy, a Democratic senator, reacted to part of Brian Hook's statements, pointing out that when Donald Trump took office, the Islamic Republic of Iran was one year away from acquiring nuclear weapons, but by the end of Trump's presidency, this gap had reduced to one month. He also noted that the $700 million that was sent to Hezbollah before Trump was not cut off, and Iran's proxy groups were not weakened. Senator Murphy added that Mike Pompeo, Secretary of State during the Trump administration, had to close the U.S. embassy in Baghdad due to increased attacks, and the global coalition against the Islamic Republic had also fallen apart. The Senate session on 'Islamic Republic's Proxy Networks' emphasized the necessity of 'serious enforcement' of sanctions. Reactions to U.S. attacks on the positions of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in Iraq and Syria continue; Biden: Our response will continue at other times and places. Exclusive; U.S. response to Amir-Abdollahian's statements: Tehran received our message of response to the killing of our soldiers. Lloyd Austin: The attack on the U.S. base in Jordan was carried out by Iran's proxy groups. Fact-checking | The Islamic Republic falsely denies supporting proxy groups in Iraq and Syria. Fear in the terrorism camp; Hezbollah Iraq has suspended military operations against American forces. Politico: Intelligence officials had warned months earlier about the possibility of American soldiers being killed by Iranian-made weapons. Exclusive | Bradesky: Biden is 'not very scary' for the Islamic Republic; Slavine: The Iranian regime has realized America's 'red line.' CBS News: The U.S. has finalized plans to attack Iran's proxies in Iraq and Syria. Biden says he has decided on how to respond to the deadly attack on American soldiers. Washington Post: The drone that killed American soldiers at the 'Tower 22' base was not identified. A U.S. State Department official: The actions of Iran's proxies complicate efforts to prevent the escalation of conflict in the region.