The Escalating Dance of Self Defense: A Pattern Emerges in the Middle East The recent US military strikes in southern Iran, justified as "self defense" against Iranian forces, are part of a larger pattern of behavior across the Middle East.
This complex dance of self preservation is played out beneath the surface of international diplomacy and ceasefires.
On its face, the US Central Command's assertion that these strikes were necessary to protect troops from threats posed by Iranian forces appears straightforward.