Israel and Iran have been enemies for decades — but this is their most sustained direct fighting ever. Here’s how a shadow war erupted into an overt conflict.

Donald Trump has kept the world guessing on his plans, veering from proposing a swift diplomatic solution to suggesting the U.S. might join the fighting on Israel's side.

Iran’s allies, the self-described “Axis of Resistance,” have been severely hurt by ongoing Israeli attacks since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel, particularly Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Iran has long used those groups as both an asymmetrical way to attack Israel and as a shield against a direct assault.