Hundreds of civilians, mostly in Iran, have been killed by dueling airstrikes despite international pleas for de-escalation.

Shapiro served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East until January—charged with, among other things, considering scenarios in which tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into all-out war and preparing U.

While the U.S. insists it is not involved in strikes on Iran, American officials have confirmed military forces have been helping to intercept Iranian missiles fired at Israel.

Spokane-born retired American diplomat Ryan Crocker anticipates the conflict between Israel and Iran will escalate in the coming days.

The push to do a deal on the country’s nuclear program could be revived, even after the Israeli strikes scuppered the latest round of talks.

Israel and Iran have continued to trade heavy missile strikes overnight as Donald Trump threatens to respond 'at levels never seen before' if Tehran attacks US bases.Posting on Truth Social, the US president said his forces had “nothing to do with the attack on Iran,

The United States is the main international backer of Israel, Iran's biggest regional foe. It is also a close ally of Sunni Gulf monarchies which for years pursued their own rivalry with the Islamic Republic, seeing it as their main regional threat.