a clear idea why, but they have a clear idea why, but they wanted to let the personnel that were there has the ability to get out of the way. and i think it was to limit the potential for escalation. everyone knew it was coming, give it a few days to build up, you send the messages, we have seen us in different areas of the world and then you can strike, but hopefully nothing gets out of control. it hopefully nothing gets out of control. , ., , ., control. it is, indeed as we have heard from _ control. it is, indeed as we have heard from the _ control. it is, indeed as we have heard from the us, _ control. it is, indeed as we have heard from the us, just - control. it is, indeed as we have heard from the us, just the - heard from the us, just the beginning. thank you so much. for our view who mayjust be joining beginning. thank you so much. for our view who mayjust bejoining us, let's recap what we know so far. in his first retaliatory strike since the sunday deadly dress tricks on us troops injordan, the use is targeted seven locations. for in syria and three in iraq was of the us struck 85 individual targets including groups the us believes are associated with and supported by iran's revolutionary guard corps. this targets include command and control centres as well as headquarters buildings and intelligent centres. rocket and

missile interim storage facilities and logistics ammunition supply chain facilities as well. several aircraft including b—i bombers dispatch from the us were involved firing more than 125 precision guided munitions of the course of about 30 minutes. the us is, as we mentioned, this isjust beginning. the strikes, quote, will not end tonight. although iran has denied any direct involvement in that front attack, we any direct involvement in that front attack, we know any direct involvement in that front attack, we know there any direct involvement in that front attack, we know there are any direct involvement in that front attack, we know there are a any direct involvement in that front attack, we know there are a number of pro—persian militia based in the region, the palestinian territories and as far as human all opposed to iran and the us. our analysis at a door takes a closer look at what we know about iran's alliance is the so—called axis of resistance. 15 a so-called axis of resistance. is a crisis in the _ so—called axis of resistance. 13 —. crisis in the middle east escalates there is one country... if crisis in the middle east escalates there is one country. . ._ there is one country... if iran or its proxies _ there is one country... if iran or its proxies attack _ there is one country... if iran or its proxies attack anywhere - there is one country... if iran or| its proxies attack anywhere else, make _ its proxies attack anywhere else, make no— its proxies attack anywhere else, make no mistake, we will defend our

people. _ make no mistake, we will defend our peorrle. our— make no mistake, we will defend our people, our security, swiftly and decisivelx — people, our security, swiftly and decisivel . ,, people, our security, swiftly and decisively-— people, our security, swiftly and decisivel . ,, , decisively. three us soldiers were killed last weekend _ decisively. three us soldiers were killed last weekend in _ decisively. three us soldiers were killed last weekend in a _ decisively. three us soldiers were killed last weekend in a drone - killed last weekend in a drone attack. the target was a us military base called tower 22. the group claiming responsibility is the islamic resistance in iraqi. fiur islamic resistance in iraqi. our teams are _ islamic resistance in iraqi. oi" teams are continuing to do islamic resistance in iraqi. i>i" teams are continuing to do analysis but we know that iran is behind it and certainly, as we've said before in this briefing room, iran continues to arm and equipped these groups. iran continues to arm and equipped these ”mus, ., , continues to arm and equipped these ”mus. ., , continues to arm and equipped these urous. ., , .,, groups. iran says these accusations are baseless- _ groups. iran says these accusations are baseless. but _ groups. iran says these accusations are baseless. but there _ groups. iran says these accusations are baseless. but there is - groups. iran says these accusations. are baseless. but there is something called the axis of resistance. it is in opposition to israel and the us. this includes the group behind the tower 22 attack. iran this includes the group behind the tower 22 attack.—

tower 22 attack. iran has taken advantage _ tower 22 attack. iran has taken advantage of— tower 22 attack. iran has taken advantage of the _ tower 22 attack. iran has taken advantage of the current - tower 22 attack. iran has taken i advantage of the current conflicts to do what it has been doing for many years which is to disrupt, target us and partners in a variety of ways, through the efforts of its proxy militias. of ways, through the efforts of its proxy militias-— of ways, through the efforts of its proxy militias. since the attack on october the _ proxy militias. since the attack on october the 7th _ proxy militias. since the attack on october the 7th and _ proxy militias. since the attack on october the 7th and israel's - october the 7th and israel's response to it, this disruption has taken many forms, for example houthi rebels have continued to attack shipping in the red sea. but how does this work? what is around trying to achieve? if we go back to 1979, there was an uprising in iran and it became a republic. it has sought to spread its influence ever since. the assad reign in syria and

the houthis in yemen and support for smaller groups, including in iraq. we have a whole range of iraqi militias — we have a whole range of iraqi militias which are formed in lots of different— militias which are formed in lots of different ways and have very different ways and have very different connections with iran and there _ different connections with iran and there are — different connections with iran and there are umbrella movements. it's very complicated to navigate the links _ very complicated to navigate the links in _ very complicated to navigate the links in that part of the axis of resistant _ links in that part of the axis of resistant-— resistant. iran's support of its network comes _ resistant. iran's support of its network comes in _ resistant. iran's support of its network comes in forms - resistant. iran's support of its network comes in forms such | resistant. iran's support of its i network comes in forms such as money. the us estimated that iran gave hezbollah hundred million dollars a year and estimates the houthis have benefited too. iran is also supplying weapons. recently, two military personnel died on boats in the red sea. the us release this

image. 0rthere in the red sea. the us release this image. 0r there is hezbollah, with an alleged 130,000 rocket missiles which are believed to have come from iran. if it is supplying money and weapons, is it coordinating the actions of its allies? after 0ctober actions of its allies? after october the 7th, the us acknowledged that they had not seen evidence that iran was behind this particular attack. but that needs placing in context. iran does not necessarily exert day—to—day operational control over each and _ day—to—day operational control over each and every one of its proxies but, _ each and every one of its proxies but. that— each and every one of its proxies but, that being said, when you provide — but, that being said, when you provide strategic direction, significant material and significant training, _ significant material and significant training, you cannot avoid

culpability. training, you cannot avoid culpability-— training, you cannot avoid culpability. training, you cannot avoid culabili . , , ., culpability. given this level of su- ort culpability. given this level of sunport from _ culpability. given this level of support from iran, _ culpability. given this level of support from iran, many - culpability. given this level of support from iran, many are l culpability. given this level of - support from iran, many are asking, what does it want? we need to look at its history, not least the iran— iraq war of the 1980s. iran at its history, not least the iran- iraq war of the 1980s.— at its history, not least the iran- iraq war of the 1980s. iran does not see itself as — iraq war of the 1980s. iran does not see itself as an _ iraq war of the 1980s. iran does not see itself as an aggressive - iraq war of the 1980s. iran does not see itself as an aggressive act - iraq war of the 1980s. iran does not see itself as an aggressive act up i see itself as an aggressive act up but as deeply vulnerable, in particular in the memories of the iran— iraq war where it was very vulnerable to iraqi and many people died. so it's vulnerable to iraqi and many people died. so its whole policy is built on never again to be allow itself to be encircled or isolated. it is on never again to be allow itself to be encircled or isolated.— be encircled or isolated. it is not lookin: be encircled or isolated. it is not looking for— be encircled or isolated. it is not looking for a _ be encircled or isolated. it is not looking for a massive _ be encircled or isolated. it is not looking for a massive escalation| be encircled or isolated. it is not. looking for a massive escalation and an outright — looking for a massive escalation and an outright war with the us or israel — an outright war with the us or israel. what it is interested in is

maintaining the equilibria across the region. in maintaining the equilibria across the reuion. . maintaining the equilibria across the region-— the region. in a statement this week, the region. in a statement this week. lran's — the region. in a statement this week, iran's revolutionary - the region. in a statement this i week, iran's revolutionary guards said we do not seek a war but we are not afraid of it. this is a fiercely contested subject but can the us calibrate its response to the tower 22 attack, there is no debate on iran's want to position itself centrally in the region. we now go td ambassador, who has been sticking with us evening. we want to get your take on what we've heard, what ross atkins said in the challenge for the us of going after these various groups that may not entirely be acting according to iran's wishes.

that is exactly right. this is a classic asymmetric warfare. we do have overwhelming firepower and it is likely to be of limited utility when you do not have set pieces where they might be very mobile, where they might be very mobile, where they might be very mobile, where the calculations of loss and gains are very different from our calculations, how we define it and thatis calculations, how we define it and that is the classic description of asymmetric warfare. as we heard from some of your earlier commentators about the channels via iraqi of the iranian is saying they did not have direct control over this specific attack then we would want to be careful about not escalating. the

iranian is did not intend for this to be an attack where civilian life was lost then we need to be careful about escalation. —— if the uraniums. that is important to the united states. we see what is happening in the gaza strip and any calls for the united states to take the gloves off to hit iran proper then we need to make sure there is a moral motive. that the american people are not interested in war with iran. so i think these are

important points to keep in mind and in context, in this frame, that this is a political call and it's not something that would benefit the united states. even after three months, they have not been able to get anywhere close to their definition or anyone else's definition or anyone else's definition of victory. we've been heafina definition of victory. we've been hearing from — definition of victory. we've been hearing from our— definition of victory. we've been | hearing from our correspondence definition of victory. we've been i hearing from our correspondence in baghdad that there's been communications with iraqi and iran, can you give us an idea diplomatically of what is the white house was preparing for these to be carried out?— carried out? certainly for any back channel communications, - carried out? certainly for any back| channel communications, agencies would have been involved, meetings,

passing bills, that's one thing. as the president looks for a response where american lives have been lost, he would have been presented with an array of options of what to strike with excellent analysis of what the impact would be, what the likely responses to them would be, whether it would be a short—term or longer term gain and a clear recognition that it had to be strong enough and, hopefully, it might deter and people will see in the coming days or perhaps longer because iran may be looking at its proxies for putting it in danger so they may have turned off the spigot. so we won't know if

they will decide to carry out additional attacks. they will decide to carry out additionalattacks. it they will decide to carry out additional attacks. it might be that iran has not okayed it or that they are acting independently of iran. so the president will have had those arrays presented to him, made his decision and the military will carry it out. ., ., ~ , decision and the military will carry itout. ., ., ~ ., it out. you have said americans do not want a — it out. you have said americans do not want a war— it out. you have said americans do not want a war in _ it out. you have said americans do not want a war in the _ it out. you have said americans do not want a war in the middle - it out. you have said americans do not want a war in the middle east | it out. you have said americans do | not want a war in the middle east at the moment. we've heard a few analysts say the same time, it's not entirely clear whether the us have been pulled a broader conflict with those missile strikes and of course, the strike on the us base injordan, killing three american soldiers. is it already caught up in what is a wider conflict? i it already caught up in what is a wider conflict?— it already caught up in what is a wider conflict? i would say we are certainly involved _ wider conflict? i would say we are certainly involved and, _ wider conflict? i would say we are certainly involved and, from - wider conflict? i would say we are certainly involved and, from the l certainly involved and, from the beginning, the president made clear

that was not his wish, his desire, from the secretary of defence, secretary of state, the head of the cia, as special representative for hostage affairs, all wish to minimise this conflict, to find a way forward and to keep us out of it. there's definitely a political cost for the president if we are sucked into this war so i suspect every effort is being made to minimise this and to get a ceasefire in the gaza strip but that now is extremely important to the united states, notjust for the palestinian terrible loss of life. we have to keepin terrible loss of life. we have to keep in mind that the conflict in gazais keep in mind that the conflict in gaza is ongoing. that is a core issue which is occurring in the

region. issue which is occurring in the re . ion. ~ issue which is occurring in the reuion. ~ . �* . ~ issue which is occurring in the reaion.~ ., �* ., ,, ., issue which is occurring in the re.ion_ . ., �* ., ~' ., ,, region. we haven't talked about us allies in the — region. we haven't talked about us allies in the region, _ region. we haven't talked about us allies in the region, like _ region. we haven't talked about us allies in the region, like jordan. - allies in the region, likejordan. what role do you now be playing in the coming days?— what role do you now be playing in the coming days? we've been working with our allies — the coming days? we've been working with our allies and _ the coming days? we've been working with our allies and partners _ the coming days? we've been working with our allies and partners in - the coming days? we've been working with our allies and partners in the - with our allies and partners in the region and they've been very clear about their desire for a ceasefire for the last several months but also working with us. we recognise the importance of getting hostages released, getting palestinian prisoners released and that was the deal that was made. i really want your audience to keep in mind all the hostage releases have come from diplomacy, not bombing, not attacks, diplomacy. diplomacy is going to work to get those hostages and indeed, any palestinians that the opposite side are trying to get released. we are working with

partners and the relationships are very difficult but we are working with our partners in the middle east and the gulf as well. it’s with our partners in the middle east and the gulf as well.— and the gulf as well. it's been so aood to and the gulf as well. it's been so good to get _ and the gulf as well. it's been so good to get your _ and the gulf as well. it's been so good to get your experience - and the gulf as well. it's been so good to get your experience on l and the gulf as well. it's been so l good to get your experience on our show tonight. thank you so much for joining us. let's look at some of the reaction from us law makers. the heat criticism, quote, instead of giving the ayatollahs the bloody nose he deserves, we can give him the slap on the wrist. we can give time to... let's go back to barbara, roger is saying that telegraphing

over the last five days.