A world at war: Iran conflict goes global
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Illustration: Aïda Amer/Axios
Ten days into President Trump's Iran campaign, the war has gone global.
- At least 20 countries are now militarily involved — shooting, shielding or quietly supplying — while a widening energy shock punishes nations far from the front lines.
Why it matters: This isn't World War III. But it may be the closest we've come in decades — drawing in more countries, more great powers and more overlapping conflicts than any crisis since the Cold War.
Zoom in: Iran has struck at least 10 countries since the war began, hitting U.S. and Israeli bases, Persian Gulf capitals, oil infrastructure and civilian areas in an attempt to impose maximum pain on Washington and its allies.
- Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz — the narrow chokepoint through which 20% of the world's oil flows — sending prices for oil, gas, plastics and fertilizers soaring across the globe.
- Israel is fighting on two fronts — pounding Iran while battling Hezbollah on the ground in Lebanon, where more than 500,000 people have been displaced in a week.
Zoom out: The war has spread far beyond the Middle East, pulling European militaries into the conflict and forcing NATO to shoot down Iranian missiles over allied territory for the first time.
- France has dispatched its nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean, joining British warships after an Iranian-made drone struck a U.K. air base on Cyprus, a member of the European Union.
- Greece and Turkey — bitter rivals within NATO — also have rushed forces to Cyprus, where their fighter jets now face each other across a partition line that has divided the island for 50 years.
- Even Australia said Monday it's sending missiles and a radar plane to help the UAE and other Gulf countries defend themselves from Iran.
In the meantime, a U.S. submarine sank an Iranian warship last week off the coast of Sri Lanka — the first American torpedo kill since the final days of World War II.
Between the lines: As the shooting war rages, a shadow conflict is playing out among the world's great powers.
- Russia has been sharing satellite imagery of U.S. warships and aircraft with Iran, the Washington Post first reported, helping Tehran target American forces across the region.
- Ukraine — which has spent four years defending against the same Iranian-made drones now battering the Gulf — has deployed specialists and low-cost interceptors to help protect the U.S. and its allies.
China, which is set to welcome Trump for a state visit in a matter of weeks, is navigating the war from both sides.
- Facing billions of dollars in economic exposure, China has been calling for a ceasefire and pressuring Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Beijing relies on for roughly 40% of its oil imports.
- At the same time, U.S. intelligence shows China may be preparing to supply Iran with financial assistance, spare parts and missile components, according to CNN.
What to watch: The Iran war is reshaping every other major conflict on Trump's agenda.
- Ukraine: U.S.-brokered peace talks planned for Abu Dhabi this week have been postponed indefinitely because of the war. India is back to buying Russian oil after the U.S. waived sanctions to help manage the energy crisis.
- Gaza: Trump's flagship peace plan has been on hold since the war began, as the Gulf states that pledged billions to rebuild Gaza now scramble to defend against Iranian missiles.
- Taiwan: The war is burning through missile stockpiles the U.S. has spent years building up to deter China in the Pacific — raising urgent questions about what happens if Beijing finally makes a move on Taiwan.
