30-06-2025
Just when Trump thought he was out, Iran pulls him back in
A U.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is shown at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, before the Operation Midnight Hammer attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. © Reuters
Richard Heydarian is a senior lecturer at the Asian Center of the University of the Philippines and author of "The Indo-Pacific: Trump, China and the New Struggle for Global Mastery."
The "12 Day War" between Israel and Iran ended as violently and abruptly as it started. Large flames due to massive aerial bombardments illuminated the night sky in Tehran, while Iran responded with a barrage of missiles that landed in southern Israel in the final hours of the war. Both sides grappled with heavy damage, including to residential areas and critical infrastructure, and unprecedented casualties, including the deaths of hundreds of civilians across Iran. U.S. President Donald Trump played the unexpected roles of mediating and enforcing the eventual ceasefire between the archenemies.
