Part 3/15:
Iran now faces a complex array of retaliatory options. Conventional military responses could include missile strikes against U.S. assets in Iraq, Syria, and the Persian Gulf—recall the 2020 missile attack on U.S. bases following the killing of Qasem Soleimani, which resulted in injuries but no fatalities. Proxy warfare remains a threat; Iran’s network of militias, including Hezbollah, Houthis, and Palestinian factions, could escalate attacks on U.S. interests across the Middle East.