US attacks three Iranian nuclear sites, joining Israeli air campaign as Tehran promises to retaliate.
aje.io
5m ago
(01:40 GMT)
Trump’s attacks could set region ablaze
Reporting from Washington, DC, US
While it remains unclear if and how Iran will respond to the US attacks, the conflict could quickly spiral to engulf the entire region.
Iran could attack US bases and interests across the Gulf, while Iraqi groups allied with Tehran may also get involved in the fighting, destablising the country that is seeing some relative calm after decades of bloodshed since the 2003 American invasion.
In Yemen, the Houthis have already said that they would start targeting US ships if Iran is attacked, renewing the hostilities after a brief ceasefire with Washington.
Lebanon’s Hezbollah has been quiet, but last week, it warned that it may act in support of Iran in ways that it sees “appropriate”.
Any military involvement by the group risks re-igniting the devastating war with Israel that destroyed large parts of Lebanon and displaced tens of thousands of people in northern Israel last year.
Moreover, if Iran succeeds in shutting down the Strait of Hormuz through which 20 percent of the world’s oil flows, the move could be a major blow to the global economy and energy-exporting countries in the Gulf.
Israeli strikes have already killed hundreds of Iranian civilians. US involvement is all but certain to bring more devastating attacks that will kill more people.
