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Donald Trump’s war with Iran quickly became global, with more than a dozen other countries on the front lines, or mobilizing their armed forces, as Tehran put up resistance.
Britain, France and Spain are among the countries sending warships, jets and troops to the region to bolster defenses and protect their allies, while countries in the Middle East, as well as Cyprus, Turkey and Azerbaijan, have been hit by Iranian drones and missiles.
The US also does not limit its attacks on the Islamic regime to any geographic boundaries, such as the American submarine sinking an Iranian warship off the coast of Sri Lanka.
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Warnings about World War Three have long been sounded since then Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine more than four years ago.
This happened because of concerns that the conflict could spread to NATO’s European neighbors, drawing the nuclear-armed alliance into direct confrontation with Moscow, which also has many nuclear weapons.
This risk remains.
But the world became even more combustible because of the US president’s decision, along with Israel, to attack Iran with a ferocity of firepower that exceeded the early days of the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003.
Since fighting began on February 28, the US military says it has struck more than 3,000 targets. Israeli warplanes have also carried out hundreds of sorties. Onslaught took the life of Ali KhameneiIran’s supreme leader, in the opening salvo.
Plumes of smoke rise as attacks hit the Iranian capital, Tehran, on March 5. photo: AP
In response, Iranian forces have fired several waves of missiles and drones against US forces in the region and Israel, but also against Gulf states, including the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and even Oman, although Muscat has played an important role in negotiations between Tehran and Washington in the past.
Iran’s president on Saturday issued an apology to his neighboring countries, and said there would be no more attacks against them, as long as no attacks targeting his country come from US forces on their respective territories. However, Iranian ammunition continues to attack Gulf countries, although perhaps not with the same intensity.
The US military says it has seriously degraded Iran’s attack capabilities Mr Trump warned of an even more devastating attack in the future
But the Iranians vowed to keep fighting rather than heed American demands to surrender.
President Donald Trump steps off Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, on March 7. photo: AP
Pete Hegsethwho described himself as US war secretary, said the American operation could last eight weeks – an indication of the number of targets the US has to collect.
Trump has vowed to destroy all of Iran’s missile and naval capabilities, and prevent the country from having a nuclear weapons program.
However, the longer the attacks continue, the greater the risk that miscalculations could trigger a wider war.
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The battle lines in the Middle East are already intersecting with Russia’s war in Europe, although the war has not actually reached Asia, and China has so far offered no response.
Moscow has for years received weapons from Tehran, while Kyiv is backed by a coalition of allies, including Britain, France, Germany, Australia and Canada. The US is also an important source of ammunition for Ukraine.
Now reports have emerged that Russian forces provided intelligence to Iran that could help Tehran target American warships, troops and bases in the Gulf. At the same time, the US has requested the support of the Ukrainian army in countering Iranian drones.
These alliances and allegiances underscore the complexity of the chaos at play – and how dangerous this moment is.
