Shapiro served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East until January—charged with, among other things, considering scenarios in which tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into all-out war and preparing U.

A statement released by Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed no solidarity with Israel. The response may reflect a certain irritation with Netanyahu, who, by ordering the strikes, has undermined negotiations with Tehran that Trump relaunched in March.

Trump had good reason to try to constrain Netanyahu while nuclear talks with Iran proceeded, but Israel decided instead to try to behead the ‘octopus’.

The sixth round of U.S.-Iran nuclear talks will be held on Sunday in Muscat, the Omani foreign minister said on Thursday, after U.S. President Donald Trump reiterated that Tehran would not be allowed to have a nuclear weapon.

The last time Israel hit Iranian targets, in October 2024, the White House expressed understanding and conveyed that the attack had been coordinated. This time, the statement issued by the U.S. secretary of state in the immediate aftermath of the attacks smacked of distancing.

The United States is the main international backer of Israel, Iran's biggest regional foe. It is also a close ally of Sunni Gulf monarchies which for years pursued their own rivalry with the Islamic Republic, seeing it as their main regional threat.

What is the biggest US crypto news today? JPMorgan says an attack on Iran could spike oil prices to $120, driving US CPI inflation to 5%.

U.S. President Donald Trump said he was less confident that Iran will agree to stop uranium enrichment in a nuclear deal with Washington, according to an interview released on Wednesday.