Iran has grown more confident in its military capabilities after more than six months of war and increasingly convinced of its leverage necessary to sustain its confrontation with the United States, The New York Times reported Friday, citing recent U.S. intelligence assessments.
The assessments paint a picture far removed from early expectations, when President Donald Trump confidently foresaw a quick and decisive victory following the launch of U.S. and Israeli attacks against Iran on Feb 28.
After months of intermittent fighting, Tehran has developed a better understanding of both its military strengths and the limits of U.S. power, officials briefed on the intelligence said.
The assessments show that Iran has now become more convinced of the strategic importance of the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran appears determined to prolong the war at least until the November midterm elections in the U.S. to increase political and economic pressure on Washington, said the report.
Iran grows more confident, prepares for longer war: U.S. intelligence
Iran grows more confident, prepares for longer war: U.S. intelligence
Local authorities in Jiangcheng County in southwest China's Yunnan Province recently dispatched timely warnings to villagers to avert potential human-elephant conflicts, after six Asian elephants were spotted roaming into the area.
On Wednesday, four adult Asian elephants accompanied by two juveniles roamed onto a basketball court in the county, located in Pu'er City. Monitoring staff closely tracked the herd throughout the episode and notified residents in advance, ordering an immediate evacuation.
After lingering in the area for nearly 10 minutes, the herd returned to the forest. Owing to the early warnings and rapid response, the incident resulted in only minor damage to the local property, with no injuries or fatalities.
"We continuously track elephant movements, relay updates, and issue timely warnings," said Diao Faxing, who leads a local Asian elephant monitoring team.
Jiangcheng County is home to over 60 Asian elephants. With corn and rice crops ripening, herds have been approaching villages more frequently in search of food. In response, authorities recently deployed four thermal-imaging drones, 13 patrol motorcycles, and protective gear to ensure comprehensive, round-the-clock tracking.
Early warning prompts villagers' evacuation ahead of approaching elephant herd in Yunnan
