Seth J. Frantzman

By having its leaders abroad, it can claim it handed over control and still maintain power behind the scenes. Hayya will be key to this next step.

Iran may hint that it is willing to hold talks again and continue to play the “good cop, bad cop” game it has played in the past. The IRGC would act as the bad cop and the government as the good.

“Based on eyewitness observations, medical examinations, and extensive fires caused at the targeted site, the munitions employed in the drone attack are believed to have contained white phosphorus."

The question is which side can sustain repeated rounds of conflict, absorb the costs, and ultimately translate military pressure into a lasting political and strategic outcome.

These attacks appear to be more deadly and more extreme than Iran's attacks in the past.

Iran’s attacks on the Kurdistan Region come as the Iraqi prime minister has wrapped up his visit to the US.

Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon's US-backed army before being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House.

Syria and Germany established a joint committee on reconstruction and investment and signed an air transport agreement, paving the way for direct flights between the two countries.

Iran is likely trying to send a message to Syria. Iran wants weapons to continue to flow to Hezbollah via Syria.

"A search uncovered a cache of weapons that included long-range missiles, guided anti-tank missiles and drones," SANA reported.