US personnel deaths could push Trump to 'stay in this fight longer than he wanted to,' says analyst

Record ID: 2359649

  • Title: US personnel deaths could push Trump to 'stay in this fight longer than he wanted to,' says analyst
  • Date: 1st March 2026
  • Summary: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MARCH 1, 2026) (REUTERS ) (SOUNDBITE) (English) SENIOR FELLOW AT THE IRAN PROGRAM AT THE MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE, ALEX VATANKA, SAYING:     "I think the Iranian regime by and large wanted to keep U.S. casualties low. That's been their track record in the past because they wanted to keep this to be Trump's war against Iran, not America's war a
  • Embargoed:
  • Keywords: Bahrain Donald Trump Gulf States Iran Israel Khamenei Kuwait Middle East Qatar UAE US Military analysis expert interview
  • Location: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City: WASHINGTON D.C., UNITED STATES
  • Country: Iran
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,Middle East,Military Conflicts
  • Reuters ID: LVA001978201032026RP1
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The deaths of three U.S. military personnel in operations against Iran could push President Donald Trump to "stay in this fight longer than he wanted to," a Middle East security expert said on Sunday (March 1). 
         Senior Fellow at the Iran Program of the Washington-based Middle East Institute, Alex Vatanka, said the deaths could transform the conflict from "Trump's war against Iran" to "America's war against Iran." 
         Vatanka described the killing of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei as a "historic moment for the Islamic Republic." He described how a succession or possible transfer of power could work, but said that even if the regime survives to conflict it would be in "uncharted territory."
         Vatanka said the Gulf states of Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and the UAE would be particularly fearful of "anarchy" in Iran. Iran fired a barrage of drones and missiles at Gulf States in retaliation for U.S. and Israeli strikes, but        Vatanka said would need to "play this very carefully," likely staying out of the U.S.-Israeli military operation.
        (Production: Thomas Holdstock) 
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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