A satellite overview showing the Fordo Fuel Enrichment Facility, believed to be damaged in US airstrikes, near Qom in Iran. — Maxar Technologies/handout via Reuters
WHEN US President Donald Trump ordered strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities some days ago, the world braced for the worst. Many feared the dawn of a wider West Asia war, dragging in the United States more deeply than at any time in recent years. Yet, in a surprising and delicate turn of events, the gamble that looked so dangerous is beginning to yield results – for now.
After initial violations, a ceasefire appears to be taking shape between Iran and Israel, bringing a sudden pause to what Trump called the “12 Day War”. This could mark the beginning of de-escalation in a region that seemed poised for another cycle of violence. Whether this moment signals a genuine shift towards peace or merely a temporary cooling-off period remains uncertain. Iran’s retaliation for the US airstrikes – missiles aimed at an American base in Qatar – seems designed more to save face than to escalate.
