Seth J. Frantzman

Over the last decade, Iraq has been weakened from within because of Iranian-backed militias. Some of the militias have historical ties to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in Iran.

Lebanon, Israel, and the US all support Lebanese Army pilot zones in the south - but each side appears to have a different idea of what success means and how to deal with Hezbollah.

A new concept from US defense firm Anduril highlights how manned-unmanned teaming and drone swarms could reshape the battlefield of tomorrow.

By having its leaders abroad, it can claim it handed over control and still maintain power behind the scenes. Hayya will be key to this next step.

Iran may hint that it is willing to hold talks again and continue to play the “good cop, bad cop” game it has played in the past. The IRGC would act as the bad cop and the government as the good.

“Based on eyewitness observations, medical examinations, and extensive fires caused at the targeted site, the munitions employed in the drone attack are believed to have contained white phosphorus."

The question is which side can sustain repeated rounds of conflict, absorb the costs, and ultimately translate military pressure into a lasting political and strategic outcome.

These attacks appear to be more deadly and more extreme than Iran's attacks in the past.

Iran’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region come as the Iraqi prime minister has wrapped up his visit to the US.

Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon's US-backed army before being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House.