The U.S. military launched a second round of airstrikes Saturday targeting Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction as Tehran hit both Bahrain and Kuwait, underscoring rising tensions that threaten the interim deal between the two nations to stop the war. The attack on Kuwait early Sunday was the first since …

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has effectively ended weeks of speculation over whether Damascus might deploy troops to Lebanon, following repeated public calls by U.S. President Donald Trump urging Syria to “resolve the Hezbollah issue.” The proposal had stirred widespread political unease in Lebanon, reviving memories of Syria’s decades-long military presence. …

The Iranian regime’s strategy is clear: survive the pressure of President Donald J. Trump’s second term by any means necessary, secure breathing room through negotiations, and position itself for a far more aggressive posture once his administration is over. Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — Tehran’s …