Operation Midnight Hammer, a major U. S. military strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, has heightened fears of potential retaliations from Iran, including terrorist attacks on the U. S. homeland. These concerns are exacerbated by vulnerabilities at the U. S. border.
• Iran's Retaliation: Iran has promised to retaliate against the U. S. airstrikes, following a series of Israeli attacks that damaged Iranian installations.
• Missile Strikes: On June 23, Iran launched 14 missiles at a U. S. air base in Qatar but gave advance notice to the U. S., resulting in no casualties due to interception by defense systems.
• Continuous Threats: Despite reported cease-fires, Iran continues to engage in hostilities against Israel.
• Conventional vs. Unconventional Attacks: While currently relying on conventional attacks, Iran's history of supporting terrorism through groups like Hamas and Hezbollah raises the possibility of more serious threats, including sleeper cells within the U. S.
• Surge in Iranian Encounters: Recent data indicates a significant increase in illegal entries of Iranian nationals into the U. S., with 1,750 apprehended and 7,260 deemed inadmissible since February 2021.
• Security Concerns: U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has warned that the risk from sleeper cells has never been higher. Thousands of Iranian nationals have illegally entered the U. S., with many more likely unaccounted for.
• Got-Aways: There is particular concern about individuals who have crossed the border without detection, dubbed "got-aways. " These numbers reached approximately 1.9 million under the Biden administration, posing unknown threats.
The combination of military actions in Iran and significant increases in undocumented Iranian entries adds to the complexity of U. S. security. With warnings from officials regarding native sleeper cells and undetected individuals, the threat to the U. S. remains significant, highlighting the need for effective border control and counter-terrorism measures.
https://cis.org/Arthur/Operation-Midnight-Hammer-and-Threat-Iranian-Sleeper-Cells
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