Hours after the first strikes, Trump said the “objective is to defend the American people by eliminating imminent threats from the Iranian regime”. One striking goal that is starting to emerge is that the US and Israel have encouraged anti-government groups inside and outside Iran, including Kurdish militants, to rise up and fight. Twelve Israelis have been killed by Iranian attacks, and six US personnel have been killed. Other Iranian attacks have hit countries outside the region, including Azerbaijan and Cyprus. On Friday, Sánchez again criticised the US-Israeli strikes, saying they were an “extraordinary mistake” and “not in accordance with international law”.

Source: Irish Examiner March 07, 2026 13:51 UTC