La Revolución Islámica intenta resistir y extender la guerra hasta las últimas consecuencias para desgastar a Donald Trump y provocar el mayor daño posible a Israel, mientras pone en marcha los mecanismos de sucesión para reemplazar al líder supremo Ali Jamenei, muerto en los ataques israelíes y estadounidenses del sábado.

El objetivo es claro: sobrevivir.

Leé también: Irán designó al frente de la Guardia Revolucionaria Islámica a uno de los acusados del atentado a la AMIA

Para eso, busca prolongar una guerra abierta con ataques indiscriminados a Israel y a países árabes que albergan bases estadounidenses. Sabe que si pacta hoy, el régimen teocrático se derrumba. El plan busca causar el mayor número de víctimas a Estados Unidos e Israel para que paguen un precio político interno, en especial el presidente estadounidense.

Por lo pronto Estados Unidos ya cuenta con tres bajas entre sus tropas, algo que precisamente actúa como una fuerte presión sobre Trump en un año electoral y tras crecientes cuestionamientos en el seno del partido republicano para acabar pronto la guerra en un año electoral.

Irán es consciente de que no puede ganar la guerra, pero sí está en condiciones de provocarle un daño político interno a Washington que le permita abrir un margen de diálogo que garantice la supervivencia de la revolución islámica.

Quién tiene el mando hoy en Irán

La muerte de Jamenei sacudió el tablero de poder en Teherán, pero no se avizoran señales de apertura en la estructura político-militar-religiosa. Todo lo contrario. Tampoco hay señales de reorganización opositora en el terreno.

“Quienes están dentro del sistema político iraní pueden llegar a ocupar un lugar. Yo diría que son cada vez posiciones más duras, menos dispuestas a negociar y más dispuestas al lenguaje de las armas. Esa es la parte más negativa de un cambio de régimen”, dijo a TN el analista Paulo Botta, especializado en temas iraníes y director de la oficina de Trends Research & Advisory en América Latina.

La sucesión de Jamenei está en marcha. Este domingo se creó un consejo de liderazgo liderado por el ayatolá Alireza Arafi e integrado por el presidente Masoud Pezeshkian; el jefe del poder judicial, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, y un miembro del Consejo de los Guardianes (un organismo de control constitucional) elegido por el Consejo de Conveniencia, que asesora al líder supremo y resuelve disputas con el Parlamento.

Luego, un panel de 88 miembros llamado Asamblea de Expertos elegirá “lo antes posible” a un nuevo líder supremo. Uno de los nombres que se barajan es el del propio hijo de Jamenei, Mojtaba, un clérigo chiíta de 56 años, pero sin experiencia previa en un cargo público y cuya designación podría provocar un gran descontento interno por representar una sucesión dinástica.

Una salida de supervivencia

Mientras soporta los bombardeos de la coalición israelí-estadounidense, el objetivo hoy es dañar lo más posible a EE.UU e Israel, negociar una salida de supervivencia y mostrarse victorioso bajo un régimen de propaganda basado en una férrea censura. Nada nuevo que no haya sucedido en el pasado, incluso en la anterior guerra de 12 días en junio del año pasado.

Pero es una jugada de enorme riesgo. Involucrar a los países árabes en la guerra puede no haber sido la mejor estrategia.

Leé también: El papa habló del conflicto en Medio Oriente y pidió que se retome el diálogo: “Paren la espiral de violencia”

“La retaliación que ha lanzado Irán ha sido un error de cálculo. Lo que ha hecho es unificar el mundo árabe contra Irán. La estrategia lógica hubiera sido dividirlo, pero con los ataques indiscriminados contra Arabia Saudita, Barhrein, Qatar y los Emiratos Árabes Unidos los ha unificado contra Teherán”, dijo a TN el analista Jairo Lugo Ocando, decano de la Facultad de Comunicación de la Universidad de Sharjah en los Emiratos Árabes Unidos.

Para el especialista en temas de Medio Oriente, “el problema es que Irán esta ahora bajo un liderazgo que no está preparado para eso porque han decapitado a toda su cúpula. Estados Unidos e Israel van a seguir atacando y no hay defensa aérea iraní. La destruyeron en la última guerra. El espacio aéreo de Irán está completamente abierto. Los ataques continuarán hasta un momento determinado en que Estados Unidos considere que se puede entrar en una negociación”, dijo.

Además, afirmó: “Eso va a tardar un par de semanas y se va a poner peor antes de mejorar”.

Desde Washington, Trump ya empezó a abrir el camino. “Ellos quieren hablar, y yo he aceptado hablar, así que hablaré con ellos. Deberían haberlo hecho antes. La mayoría de esa gente ha muerto. Algunos de aquellos con quienes estábamos negociando han muerto. Quisieron pasarse de listos”, advirtió en declaraciones a la revista The Atlantic difundida este domingo.

Several House Republicans are pushing Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to go to war with the Senate GOP over an election security bill that has little chance of passing the upper chamber under current circumstances.

House GOP leaders convened a lawmaker-only call on Sunday in the wake of a massive military operation against Iran launched by the U.S. and Israel.

After leaders briefed House Republicans on how the chamber would respond to the ongoing conflict — including a vote on ending Democrats’ weeks-long government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) — Fox News Digital was told that several lawmakers raised concerns about the Senate not yet taking up the Safeguarding American Voter Eligiblity (SAVE America) Act. Among other provisions, the act would require voters in federal elections to produce valid ID and proof of citizenship.

Rep. Derrick Van Orden, R-Wis., was among those pushing the House to reject any bills from the Senate until the measure was taken up, telling Johnson according to multiple sources on the call, «If we don’t get this done, or at least show that we’ve got some backbone, we’re done. The midterms are over.»

At least three other House Republicans shared similar concerns. Sources on the call said Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, argued that GOP voters were «not enthused» heading into November and that «the single biggest thing» to turn that around would be forcing the Senate to pass the SAVE America Act.

The SAVE America Act passed the House last month with support from all Republicans and just one Democrat, Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas.

JEFFRIES ACCUSES REPUBLICANS OF ‘VOTER SUPPRESSION’ OVER BILL REQUIRING VOTER ID, PROOF OF CITIZENSHIP

Republicans have pointed out on multiple occasions that voter ID measures have bipartisan support across multiple public polls and surveys. But Democrats have dismissed the legislation as an attempt at voter suppression ahead of the 2026 midterms.

 Senate Majority Leader John Thune speaks at a press conference with other members of Senate Republican leadership following a policy luncheon in Washington, D.C. on Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)

The legislation would require 60 votes in the Senate to break filibuster, which it’s likely not to get given Democrats’ near-uniform opposition. But House Republicans have pressured Senate Majority Leader John Thune to use a mechanism known as a standing filibuster to circumvent that — which Thune has signaled opposition to, given the vast amount of time it would take up in the Senate and potential unintended consequences in the amendment process.

It also comes as Congress grapples with the fallout from the strikes on Iran and the need to ensure safety for the U.S. domestically and for service members abroad, both of which will require close coordination between the two chambers.

Johnson told Republicans several times on the Sunday call that he was privately pressuring Thune on the bill but was wary of creating a public rift with his fellow GOP leader, sources said.

HARDLINE CONSERVATIVES DOUBLE DOWN TO SAVE THE SAVE ACT

«If we’re going to go to war against our own party in the Senate, there may be implications to that,» Johnson said at one point, according to people on the call. «So we want to be thoughtful and careful.»

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, talks with a guest during a «Only Citizens Vote Bus Tour» rally in Upper Senate Park to urge Congress to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

At another point in the call, sources said Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., suggested pairing a coming vote on DHS funding with the SAVE America Act in order to force the Senate to take it up.

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But both Johnson and House Homeland Security Committee Chairman Andrew Garbarino, R-N.Y., were hesitant about such a move given the enhanced threat environment in the wake of the U.S. operation in Iran.

Both spoke out in favor of the SAVE America Act, people told Fox News Digital, but warned the current situation merited leaving the DHS funding bill on its own in a bid to end the partial shutdown, so the department could fully function as a national security shield.

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U.S. forces launched a sweeping military assault on Iranian targets on Saturday, unleashing overwhelming air, sea and missile power in a coordinated operation with Israel.

The mission — dubbed «Operation Epic Fury» — began at 1:15 a.m. and struck more than 1,000 sites across Iran within its first 24 hours, according to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and dozens of senior regime officials were eliminated in the strikes.

The barrage featured B-2 stealth bombers, F-22 and F-16 fighter jets, A-10 attack aircraft, EA-18G electronic warfare planes, and an array of airborne early warning and communications platforms, CENTCOM said.

Missile defense systems, including Patriot interceptors and THAAD anti-ballistic missile defenses, were deployed as part of the operation.

Other assets included RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft, MQ-9 Reaper drones, HIMARS rocket systems, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, guided-missile destroyers, refueling tankers, and C-17 and C-130 transport aircraft, CENTCOM said.

The command also released images of Tomahawk cruise missiles, as well as F-18 and F-35 fighter jets roaring into combat, according to Reuters.

CENTCOM additionally confirmed it deployed one-way attack drones in combat for the first time.

DOZENS OF TOP IRANIAN REGIME OFFICIALS, SUPREME LEADER KILLED IN ISRAELI STRIKES

Low-cost Unmanned Combat Attack System (LUCAS) drones were also used in the attack. (U.S. Central Command Public Affairs)

The Low-Cost Unmanned Combat Attack System — known as LUCAS — is modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones.

«CENTCOM’s Task Force Scorpion Strike — for the first time in history — is using one-way attack drones in combat during Operation Epic Fury,» CENTCOM wrote on X. «These low-cost drones, modeled after Iran’s Shahed drones, are now delivering American-made retribution.»

Developed by Arizona-based engineering firm SpektreWorks, the LUCAS drone can be launched from catapults, vehicles or mobile ground platforms, according to Business Insider. 

The drones cost roughly $35,000 each, Reuters reported.

KEY MILITARY SITES TARGETED INSIDE IRAN AS PART OF COORDINATED US-ISRAELI STRIKES

A plume of smoke rises after an explosion on Feb. 28, 2026, in Tehran, Iran.  (Majid Saeedi/Getty Images)

The strikes targeted command and control centers, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Joint Headquarters and Aerospace Forces Headquarters, integrated air defense systems, ballistic missile sites, Iranian Navy ships and submarines, anti-ship missile sites and military communications infrastructure, according to CENTCOM.

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Iran retaliated by launching waves of missiles across the Middle East, targeting major U.S. bases in Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, Business Insider reported.

Three U.S. service members were killed and five others were «seriously wounded» as part of Operation Epic Fury, CENTCOM said Sunday morning. The joint military operation is expected to carry on for days.

CENTCOM did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Reuters and Fox News Digital’s Michael Dorgan contributed to this report.

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