War in Iran: US and Israel Strike Tehran, Revolutionary Guard Attacks Tankers

The situation in the Middle East has dramatically escalated, turning into a full-scale armed conflict targeting Iran's state structure. A joint US and Israeli air operation focused on paralyzing command centers in Tehran and destroying underground arsenals referred to as "rocket cities." President Donald Trump officially declared that Washington used the last chance to forcibly stop Iran's nuclear program. The White House is openly preparing public opinion for a multi-week campaign that is expected to last at least until mid-April. Tensions between Washington and Tehran date back to the Islamic Revolution of 1979, but the current scale of direct confrontation is unprecedented and exceeds the intensity of clashes from the Iran-Iraq War period in the 1980s.Tehran's response has shifted to asymmetric warfare. The Revolutionary Guard announced a successful attack on a tanker cooperating with the US in the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Simultaneously, US diplomatic facilities in the region came under fire—a series of explosions in Riyadh resulted in the US embassy burning. The Israeli army, in turn, reported delivering a "crushing blow" to the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, suggesting an expansion of the front to Iran's allies across the region. The situation is complicated by reports of civilian casualties, including a strike on a school, which both sides are using in the ongoing information war. „It was our last chance and we will stay as long as it takes.” — Donald Trump The internal situation in Iran is becoming increasingly unstable, though experts warn of a lack of organized opposition capable of taking power. In Israel, a deep militarization of society is progressing, and Benjamin Netanyahu's government enjoys almost uncritical support for military actions. Chinese diplomacy remains restrained, which is interpreted as a strategic wait for the weakening of the US position. In light of the confirmed deaths of six US soldiers and a wave of missile attacks on the United Arab Emirates, the conflict threatens to completely destabilize global energy markets and maritime security in the Persian Gulf.