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The US war on Iran is spinning out of control
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- The US war against Iran, initiated under Donald Trump, has escalated into a broader regional conflict involving at least five Middle Eastern countries, disrupting energy supplies and risking a global recession.
- Recent escalations include US and Saudi airstrikes against Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, which Iraqi leaders deny prior knowledge of, highlighting regional reluctance to be drawn into the conflict.
- Saudi Arabia is preparing for a major offensive against the Iranian-allied Houthi militia in Yemen, whose attacks on Red Sea shipping routes have forced costly rerouting of Saudi oil exports.
- The conflict has severely impacted Saudi Arabia’s economy, with a nearly 5% GDP decline in Q2 2026, and prompted Saudi plans for an international maritime coalition to protect Red Sea shipping, though its effectiveness remains uncertain.
- The renewed Saudi-Houthi hostilities threaten to collapse a fragile ceasefire in Yemen, risking a return to devastating conflict that has already caused hundreds of thousands of deaths and widespread humanitarian crises.
