Donald Trump is known to bet big, but the unfolding conflict in the Middle East, which saw the combined might of the American and Israeli armed forces rain down on Iran, may prove to be the US president’s most consequential geopolitical gamble. Their joint military strikes, which began on February 28, decapitated much of Iran’s leadership, including the long-serving Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The intent was to cripple Iran’s nuclear and missile capabilities and reshape the balance of power not only in Iran but also in the Middle East. But rather than capitulating, Iran has so far exhibited resilience and retaliated by launching missiles and drones on Israel as well as on US military bases and energy infrastructure across the Gulf in a bid to draw a wider arc of countries into the war.
