The Daily Star, Dhaka, Bangladesh, June 22, 2025 (quotes Zunes):
According to Stephen Zunes, director of Middle Eastern Studies at the University of San Francisco, Iran, too, “has a number of options” at its disposal. “They can attack US forces directly. There are up to 40,000 Americans within range, not just of Iranian missiles but of drones and other weaponry. The fleet in the Persian Gulf, just off the Iranian coast, is also vulnerable to Iranian attacks, and that could impact global shipping, oil prices, and indeed the entire global economy.” The proxy militias in Iraq could also “target American bases there.” And so, there are “a number of ways that American forces could be vulnerable [and it would be surprising] if the Iranians don’t target at least some of these.”
  However, as surprising as it may be for Iran to back down, that may be its best option. Following Israel’s devastating success in eliminating Iran’s top leadership in the surprise attack on June 13, the conflict has taken some shocking turns…