The United States launched its third military response this week, striking dozens of key facilities. 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 just hours later. Iranian forces launched missile and drone strikes on multiple Arab states, including Jordan and key Gulf partners. Regional analysts reported a sharp rise in hostile fire near critical shipping lanes as tensions spiked. The Australian flagged rising concerns over the sudden flare-up in cross-border violence.