By Alexander Langlois
The risk of the Israel-Hamas war expanding into a brutal regional conflict continues to increase at the same time that violent incidents between the United States and Iran-backed militias elsewhere in the region worsen. Last week, a U.S. strike killed an Iran-linked militia commander in Baghdad.
The exchanges of fire between U.S. forces and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance reflects a concerning scenario for U.S. policymakers amid the ongoing failure of regional deterrence to prevent Iran-backed militia strikes on U.S. positions and international maritime shipping in the Red Sea. In this scenario, President Joe Biden’s administration should implement a restrained diplomatic approach that focuses on de-escalating potential and actual points of friction in the region or risk putting U.S. soldiers and citizens in harm’s way.
This piece was originally published in The Critic on January 9, 2024. Read more HERE.