Iran conflict could open opportunities for Russia to possibly become a power broker to help end the confrontation.

If Mr Trump is not serious about diplomacy, his second choice is whether America should join the war. Satellite imagery suggests that Israel has destroyed the so-called “pilot-fuel enrichment plant” at Natanz, an above-ground facility where Iran enriched uranium to 60%, a small step below weapons-grade.

The U.S. was represented at the UN Security Council's emergency session on Friday by State Department Senior Bureau Official McCoy Pitt, who said the U.S. was advised by Israel that the actions carried out against Iran overnight were "necessary for its self-defense."

In many ways, it’s conceivable that Israel's Operation Rising Lion will alter the military balance of power in the Middle East more so than the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

The conflict, the most intense fighting between the two countries in decades, has been met in the United States with feelings of “frustration and helplessness,” as well as heartbreak.

Stock markets across the Gulf fell on Sunday morning after Israel and Iran launched fresh attacks on each other overnight, sparking fears of a widening conflict in the Middle East.

Mapped: Where Iran and Israel’s missiles have struck as Middle East tensions escalate - Escalating tensions as Israel launches largest bombardment on Iran in decades early on Friday

Israel unleashed a punishing wave of strikes across the breadth of Iran on Sunday and Tehran hit back with fresh missile barrages, as both sides threatened more devastation in a conflict that appeared to be intensifying.

Stock markets in the Gulf ended lower on Sunday as Israel and Iran exchanged attacks, raising concerns about a potential broader Middle East conflict.

(Photo: Israelis take shelter at the side of a highway as siren sounds following missile attack from Iran on Israel, in central Israel June 15, 2025. Credit: Reuters)