Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. is 'postured defensively' as more warplanes and a massive aircraft carrier moved to the region.

As Israel and Iran continue to attack each other, the risk grows each day of the conflict spreading to the wider Middle East region. There are also fears that the war could yet turn nuclear, even though Iran has yet to make its own atomic bomb.

When Israel launched Operation Rising Lion, officials in Russia described the current escalation in the Middle East as "alarming" and "dangerous." Still, Russian media were quick to stress the potential positives for Moscow.