Israel and Iran Enter Second Week of Conflict Amid Regional and Global Concerns

The eruption of open hostilities between Israel and Iran a week ago has fundamentally altered the Middle Eastern geopolitical landscape and sent shockwaves around the world. Though tensions between these two nations have endured for decades, marked by proxy conflicts and rhetoric, the transition from covert action and indirect engagement to full-scale war caught the international community off-guard. The initial spark appears to have been a series of coordinated missile strikes attributed to Iranian forces or their proxies, targeting key Israeli military and infrastructure sites. In response, Israel launched a series of retaliatory airstrikes deep within Iranian territory, targeting airbases, missile sites, and suspected nuclear facilities. Civilians across both nations, and throughout the region, have been thrown into a state of fear, bracing for further escalation and violence.