There are few examples of successful US regime-change operations in history. And without permanent ground troop presence, these wins can easily be reversed.
When states are attacked, authority gravitates towards institutions capable of mobilising resources, enforcing discipline, and coordinating a military response
Cairo and Tehran have been at loggerheads since 1979, but the Iranian threat has always acted as a check on Israeli ambitions. If Iran is completely defeated, Israel will reign supreme.
The announcement last week that the US was pulling its 1,000 troops there has sparked worry, as American presence is seen as crucial for integrating the Kurds and fighting IS
Washington and Tel Aviv may think the key to ending Iran's regime is to kill its missile bank and capabilities, but sometimes strategy matters more than hardware
Any disruption in the Hormuz has cascading knock-on effects that extend far beyond energy markets, impacting international trade. Al Majalla explores all this and more.
The current conflict is unlikely to go global for now, but the speed at which it has spread regionally is alarming. A look at history shows the geopolitical factors that led to world wars.