The United States launched another wave of air strikes this week, striking dozens of key facilities. President Donald Trump called the assaults "very hard" on Tehran, ABC noted. US officials stressed the strikes followed the latest regional escalation.
The Islamic Republic hit back hard almost immediately. Iranian forces launched missile and drone strikes on five regional targets, including Jordan and key Gulf partners. Middle East observers confirmed a sharp rise in hostile actions near critical shipping lanes as tensions soared. The Australian flagged growing fears over the sudden flare-up in cross-border violence.