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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Joseph Krauss

Six months on, the Iran war has changed the Middle East, but not in the way its architects had hoped

APTOPIX Iran War - (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

It's been six months since the United States and Israel attacked Iran with the perennial goal of transforming the Middle East through military force. The region has changed, but not in the way they had hoped.

The Islamic Republic survived the assassination of its top leaders and weeks of heavy bombing, and found a potent form of leverage in the Strait of Hormuz. Gulf Arab nations saw worrying gaps open up in the American security umbrella they have relied on for decades — and some are looking at alternatives.

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