The Iranian regime is a source of major conflict and instability in the Middle East, funding and arming proxy groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and the Houthis in Yemen. In the lead-up to the strikes, Trump set two conditions for averting military action in Iran: The regime needed to relinquish its nuclear ambitions, Trump said, and to “stop killing protesters…by the thousands.” Some national security experts have since argued that Trump needed to follow through on that threat or risk losing credibility in the region. While the strikes killed many senior defense and intelligence leaders, the Iranian military is likely prepared to retaliate without them — in the Middle East and, potentially, in the US.
Author: Caitlin Dewey
Published at: 2026-03-02 23:25:03
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