Israel and Iran both have little incentive to stop and no obvious route to outright victory. Much depends on President Trump.

Iraq was already facing a crisis prior to the Israeli airstrikes on Iran and Iran’s retaliation. In May, the autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in Iraq sent a delegation to Washington to sign energy deals that could be worth up to $110 billion with HKN Energy and WesternZagros.

Countries trade strikes as tensions grow over larger Middle East conflict - Iranian missiles struck an apartment building in the Galilee region, killing four people, as the countries exchanged fire

Concern about a strike and the prospect of retaliation led the United States to withdraw diplomats from Iraq and authorize the voluntary departure of U.S. military family members from the Middle East.

Israeli, Iranian, and most of Iraqi airspace remains closed amid a rapid escalation in tensions between Tehran and Tel Aviv, which began with an Israeli missile attack on multiple targets in Iran on June 13. Iran's retaliatory attacks on Israel prompted the latter's carriers to reposition their aircraft abroad for safety.

A Connecticut senator traveling in the Middle East this week was stuck in Iraq after Israel launched an attack on Israel Thursday, heightening tensions in the area.

For much of the 20th century, the US and Iran maintained friendly relations. During the Cold War, Washington depended on the Shah of Iran to counter Soviet influence in the oil-rich Middle East.

PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia has issued a travel advisory for Iran, Iraq and Jordan amid tensions between Iran and Israel, urging its citizens to defer non-essential travel and prioritise their safety.