The war imposed on Iran, which began at the end of last month, has now entered a new phase, and at this moment it appears that the United States has, to some extent, completely entangled itself in the ongoing war against Iran alongside Israel.
A major indication of this is that US President Donald Trump made direct contacts with NATO countries and later sent them the message that if the US is not supported regarding the Strait of Hormuz, the consequences will not be good for NATO either.
However, so far, no NATO or other country has made any commitment of sending naval forces to this region. The main reason for this is believed to be that European countries want to avoid becoming direct participants in this war, as they were not consulted once the decision to launch an attack on Iran was made. In contrast, during Gulf War 2 in 2003, consultations were made with all the NATO countries against Iraq and a resolution was also passed in the Security Council.
But in the case of Iran, US President Donald Trump did not consult any of his allies, and this is why NATO countries are also showing reluctance in supporting the US in sending their navy.
On the other hand, the US and Israel continue their attacks on Iran, and the war has entered its seventeenth day. In response, Iran has carried out missile and drone attacks on Israel and has also targeted some installations in the Gulf region. This conflict has impacted more than a dozen regional countries in one way or another, rather than remaining limited to just a few areas, while the closure of the Strait of Hormuz has disrupted global energy supply and caused worldwide economic turmoil.
According to the independent organization Armed Conflict Location & Event Data (ACLED), nearly two thousand war-related incidents have been recorded in at least 29 out of Iran’s 31 provinces. Tehran has faced the heaviest bombing. These incidents include airstrikes, drone attacks, missile firings, bombings, and the use of other weapons.
The strategy of the US and Israel has largely focused on targeting Iran’s missile infrastructure, military centers, and nuclear facilities. At the same time, energy centers have also come under attack, including Tehran’s oil depot and the Kharg Island in the Persian Gulf, which is considered vital for Iran’s oil exports. However, the human impact of the war has also been extremely serious, with 54,000 residential buildings damaged, including at least eighteen hospitals and medical centers targeted according to the World Health Organization. Iran states that numerous schools and residential areas have also been severely affected. The most horrific incident occurred in the southeastern city of Minab, where an attack on a girls’ primary school killed more than 170 people, most of them students who had no role in the conflict between Donald Trump and the Iranian Supreme Leader.
In response, Iran has targeted various Israeli military and industrial centers, while also attacking US military bases, oil infrastructure, airports, and commercial ships in the Gulf countries, as well as areas where Americans are residing in the normal civilian populations. Iran has also identified US financial institutions and some major technology companies in the Middle East as potential targets. Meanwhile, Israel has intensified military operations in southern Lebanon. According to the Israeli army, it has begun limited ground operations in areas considered strongholds of Hezbollah, particularly around the southern city of Khiam. The Israeli Air Force has attacked several towns in Lebanon, forcing a large number of people to evacuate their homes. This entire situation indicates that the scope of the war is continuously expanding and it is no longer easy to confine it to a single front.
Over the past two decades, Iran has focused heavily on strengthening its defense capabilities. A large portion of its military facilities and production has been moved underground to protect them from airstrikes. Even after Israeli attacks in June 2025, Iran continued its defensive production 24 hours a day and produced a large number of missiles. Based on this confidence, Iranian leadership claims that it can continue a war of long duration for six months and over against a power like Israel. Encouragingly, Gulf countries have adopted a relatively cautious strategy during this crisis. In the past, when they provided military bases to the US, they may not have anticipated that global politics would take such a complex turn.
At present, most countries in the region are trying not to become direct participants in the war. Undoubtedly, the US is the world’s largest military power, and President Donald Trump has expressed this on multiple occasions; however, Iran is an ancient nation and state that, over the past nearly half-century, has attempted to establish a self-reliant system despite sanctions.
In such a situation, it is necessary to seek some diplomatic route between the US and Iran. Gulf countries and Pakistan, as an important diplomatic power in the region, can play a role in this regard, because if no honorable path is found, this war could become a long and dangerous crisis not only for the region but also for global stability.
