The United States and Israel continue theirhistory-shaping shock and awe style military campaign against Iran, with Israeli forces also now intensifying strikes in Lebanon. Since Saturday, at least 1,230 people have been killed in what's clearly morphed into a regime change operation on Tehran, according to official numbers, which are expected to climb by the day.The war is expanding to nearby countries like Azerbaijan, and possibly even Turkey - in addition to the Gulf states.

Crucially, in Washington the US Senate blocked an effort to curb President Trump's Operation Epic Fury, voting 53–47 against a procedural motion aimed at limiting the operation. MeanwhileIran is going increasingly 'gloves off' in its response, with Tehran officials saying the war is expanding beyond just direct airstrikes. All the while, President Trump is still seeking'quick victory'- the NY Times says Thursday. It writes, "his calculation has been that he can launch military operations with the loss of few American lives and minimal disruption to the economy.The opening days of the war in Iran are challenging that assumption." The reportcontinues:

Already, six Americans have been killed. Gulf allies are under attack. The stock market wobbled. Gas prices are rising. The U.S. military is spending, by some estimates, hundreds of millions of dollars per day. In Iran,an airstrike on a girls’ elementary school killed 175 people, according to local health officials and Iranian state media, and the Trump administration says it isinvestigating who was responsible.

Some of the most important latest developments at the Pentagon as well as CENTCOM headquarters come from fresh reporting inPolitico:

Trump administration is scrambling to manage the fallout of the Iran war:The Pentagon is requesting additional intelligence officers for at least 100 days, suggesting the war could last far longer than the initially suggested four-week timeline. Officials say planning was limited. There's talk of"through September."

A State Department source said "too few people were read in on the war plans," which slowed evacuation preparations and travel alerts for Americans in the region.

Critics say the response looked improvised, with one former U.S. diplomat calling it "a completely ad hoc operation… like they woke up on Saturday and decided to start a war."

Again, if the Pentagon is requesting additional intelligence officers for at least 100 days, thisstrongly suggests the war could last far longer than the initially suggested four-week timeline. Hegseth has already suggested up to eight weeks, and the scope and timeline keeps sliding further.

In Iran, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned of "terrorist movements" along Iran's border with Iraq and called for stronger security measures amid reports that the United States is in talks with Kurdish forces aboutarming them to foment an uprisingagainst Tehran.

⚡🚨 BREAKING NEWS | 🇮🇷 🇮🇱IRGC: Launching the 19th wave of Operation 'True Promise 4'.pic.twitter.com/r8eFbCVhRc

Source: ZeroHedge News