Israel Attack: US Sanctions Iran's Drone Makers
The Facts
The US today imposed new sanctions on 16 individuals and two entities involved with Iran's drone making, days after it launched a largely unsuccessful attack on Israel.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said the aim was to "degrade and disrupt" key aspects of Iran’s offensive activity, making it "harder and costlier" for Iran to stay course.
The Spin
The US's sanctions on Iranian drone makers in 2023 have earlier prompted Russia to help Iran. Teheran's pivot towards Russia poses risks of potential backlash in the region and gives it confidence to manoeuvre the sanctions regime. Essentially, the US needs to do much more than mere imposing sanctions to defang Iran's drone capabilities.
Iran's bold attack on Israel with over 300 missiles and drones, though ineffective, has posed a challenge for its Western allies to balance support for Israel with restraint. The attack may push them towards nuclear escalation, potentially triggering further conflict with Israel. The situation remains highly unpredictable and fraught with risks.
