Explosions Near US Base in Iraq Fuel Regional Tensions The United States has been locked in a precarious dance with Iran for years, and the latest developments have further inflamed tensions in the region.
The most recent episode began on January 3, when the US military launched airstrikes against Iranian targets, including a high ranking commander in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
This move was the culmination of a series of escalations that had been building since President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) in May 2018.