Israel-Iran Confrontation

By hyping up the threat of a nuclear Iran, Netanyahu knows he can scare Israeli society into backing military action—a tactic he has perfected throughout his lengthy political career

Israel sees an opportunity to eliminate a strategic regional rival, but the future course of events primarily hinges on what Trump decides to do next

The strait carries up to 20% of the world's oil exports at around 20 million barrels of oil each day. Any closure could cost the global economy greatly, even if only for a short time.

Years of painstaking intelligence work went into the operation that activated vast networks of operatives and involved multiple layers of subterfuge

Tehran appreciates the rhetoric from Islamabad, but to succeed in its war with Israel, it needs tangible support and reliable allies, something Pakistan may find difficult to muster

The Israel-Iran war threatens the country's energy security, foreign currency reserves, tourism, and investment. There are Plan Bs but none are attractive, and the situation could yet get worse.

De-escalation is in the overwhelming interest of most countries in the region and the world, and we could see many extend a hand to help bring the conflict to an end

If Israel wins, it will likely move ahead with implementing its plan to push Palestinians out of Gaza, which could lead to a war with Egypt. If Iran wins, its proxies could further divide the region.

From spiking crude to dwindling confidence, the sudden and unprecedented escalation between these two regional powers has sent markets into a tailspin