The widening conflict between Israel, Iran and the United States entered a more dangerous phase this week, as Israeli forces expanded military operations beyond the initial theatre of fighting, opening what officials described as a second front while Iran’s leadership signalled it had no intention of backing down. The escalation came on the fourth day of a campaign that began with large-scale strikes by the United States and Israel on Iranian military infrastructure. President Donald Trump said the joint operation had severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities, though Iranian officials have rejected those claims and vowed to continue resisting the offensive.  Israeli officials said the new front was aimed at confronting regional groups allied with Tehran, particularly Hezbollah in Lebanon, whose fighters have launched missiles toward Israeli territory in recent days. Israeli airstrikes and ground operations in southern Lebanon have intensified as the confrontation spreads beyond Iran itself.  Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the powerful military force tasked with defending the country’s political system, has warned that Tehran would continue retaliatory attacks. Iranian officials have framed the conflict as a broader struggle against what they describe as a coordinated assault by the United States and Israel. Across the region, the fighting […]