In a statement, Hamas praised Tehran-its key strategic ally-for standing by the Palestinian cause and backing the resistance against Israel over decades, including during the current war that began in October 2023.

D-Day has arrived for Israel and Iran. After years of covert warfare, cyberattacks, and clandestine operations, Israel has taken the initiative. In the early hours of Friday, June 13, it launched a direct assault on the heart of Iran’s nuclear program.

For much of the 20th century, the US and Iran maintained friendly relations. During the Cold War, Washington depended on the Shah of Iran to counter Soviet influence in the oil-rich Middle East.

The city had been hit in multiple places, and strikes meant for Iran’s military commanders and nuclear scientists had brought down residential buildings across the city. So I figured my friends and family in the Iranian capital would be awake.

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.

US President Donald Trump surprised many parties after announcing on Monday that Iran was involved in negotiations aimed at arranging a ceasefire-for-hostages deal between Israel and Hamas. "Gaza right now is in the midst of a massive negotiation between us and Hamas and Israel,

Advanced espionage techniques made the most of Iranian vulnerabilities, but Israel’s ultimate aims may still be out of reach.

The conflict between Israel and Iran has shaped the Middle East for decades. It was largely on a low boil as the two sides attacked each other — mostly quietly and in Iran’s case often by proxy — while avoiding a full-blown war.