#Russia is providing #Iran with targeting information to attack #US forces in the #MiddleEast, the first indication that another major US adversary is participating — even indirectly — in the #war, according to 3 officials familiar with the intelligence.

The assistance, which has not been previously reported, signals that the rapidly expanding conflict now features one of America’s chief #nuclear-armed competitors with excellent intelligence capabilities.

#Trump #Putin #geopolitics

Since the war began Saturday, #Russia has passed #Iran the locations of #US #military assets, including warships & aircraft, said the 3 officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the matter’s sensitivity.

“It does seem like it’s a pretty comprehensive effort,” one of the people said.

Moscow has called for an end to the #war, which it labeled an “unprovoked act of armed aggression.”

#ProxyWar #ForeverWars #Trump #Putin #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast

…When asked this week about his message to #Russia & #China, which are among #Iran’s most powerful backers, #Defense Secretary Pete #Hegseth said that he didn’t have one & that “they’re not really a factor here.” [idiot]

…Analysts said that the sharing of #intelligence would fit the pattern of Iran’s strikes against #US forces, including command & control infrastructure, radars & temporary structures, like the one in Kuwait where 6 service members were killed.

#war #Trump #Putin #MiddleEast

The #CIA’s station at the #US Embassy in #Riyadh, #SaudiArabia’s capital, also was struck in recent days.

#Iran is “making very precise hits on early warning radars or over-the-horizon radars,” said Dara Massicot, an expert on the #Russia military at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “They’re doing this in a very targeted way. They’re going after command & control,” she added.

#ProxyWar #ForeverWars #war #Trump #Putin #RegimeChange #geopolitics #MiddleEast

#Iran possesses only a handful of #military-grade #satellites, & no satellite constellation of its own, which would make imagery provided by Russia’s much more advanced space capabilities highly valuable — particularly as the Kremlin has honed its own targeting after years of #war in #Ukraine, Massicot said.

#ProxyWar #ForeverWars #US #Russia #war #Trump #Putin #RegimeChange #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast

Nicole Grajewski, who studies Iran’s cooperation with #Russia at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Belfer Center, said that there had been a high level of “sophistication” in the Iranian retaliatory strikes, both in what Tehran has targeted & in its ability in some cases to overwhelm #US & allied defenses.

“They’re getting through air defenses,” she said, noting that the quality of Iran’s strikes appeared to have improved even from its 12-day war with #Israel last summer.

#Iran #war #Trump #Putin

The #Pentagon is quickly burning through its supply of precision arms &# air defense interceptors, people familiar with the matter have told WaPo, underscoring concerns raised by Gen #DanCaine, chair of the #JointChiefs of Staff, as #Trump deliberated whether to approve the operation. The admin has sought to downplay Caine’s assessment.

#ProxyWar #ForeverWars #US #Iran #Russia #war #Trump #Putin #RegimeChange #law #Congress #WarPowers #geopolitics #MiddleEast