The US and Israel's accelerating battering of Iran is wreaking havoc in the Middle East.

More than 1200 Iranian targets have been bombed, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is warning harder strikes are yet to come.

Iran's responded with attacks targeting US assets in surrounding states, including the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia. 

It's also blocking the Strait of Hormuz - an important oil shipping route. 

Former CIA intelligence officer Glenn Carle says blowing up the air defence systems is one thing, but without US forces on the ground, there will still be armed revolutionary guards. 

"What do the United States and Israel do, to force whoever's holding the guns out, or to do what the United States wants?"

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The US and Israel's accelerating battering of Iran is wreaking havoc in the Middle East.
More than 1200 Iranian targets have been bombed, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is warning harder strikes are yet to come.
Iran's responded with attacks targeting US assets in surrounding states, including the US Embassy in Saudi Arabia.&nbsp;
It's also blocking the Strait of Hormuz - an important oil shipping route.&nbsp;
Former CIA intelligence officer Glenn Carle says blowing up the air defence systems is one thing, but without US forces on the ground, there will still be armed revolutionary guards.&nbsp;
"What do the United States and Israel do, to force whoever's holding the guns out, or to do what the United States wants?"
LISTEN ABOVE

With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Glenn Carle: former CIA intelligence officer on whether the Middle East conflict could go on longer than predicted

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/092fbdd8-c998-4491-9d24-b40200507d05/transcript