How the US-Israel war with Iran got so big so fast - BBC World Service

1. The conflict escalated rapidly due to Iran's rejection of US and Israeli legitimacy and their opposition to Iran's nuclear program. 2. Iran's defense strategy relies on a network of proxy militias, the "Axis of Resistance," which has been weakened by the Gaza war. 3. The current escalation began with US and Israeli strikes on Iran, reportedly killing the Supreme Leader, leading to unprecedented Iranian retaliation against military and civilian targets. 4. The conflict has spread beyond the Gulf, involving clashes in Lebanon and a US submarine attack in the Indian Ocean. 5. Iran is disrupting critical global shipping lanes like the Strait of Hormuz, impacting oil, gas, and fertilizer supplies, and causing global economic pain.