The United States launched another wave of air strikes this week, striking more than 130 suspected sites. President Donald Trump called the assaults "very hard" on Tehran, ABC noted. The White House confirmed the strikes followed the latest regional escalation.
Iran fought back with a flurry of attacks almost immediately. Iranian forces launched missile and drone strikes on several neighboring nations, including Jordan and key Gulf partners. Middle East observers confirmed a sharp rise in military posturing near critical shipping lanes as tensions remained dangerously high. The Australian flagged rising concerns over the sudden flare-up in cross-border violence.