Iran has never initiated war in 300 years and only defends its civilization against aggression. The U.S. and Israel started this conflict, but Iran's decentralized defense strategy will determine when and how it ends.

Escalating strikes, hardening leaders, rising oil prices, a closing Strait of Hormuz and no ceasefire in sight — and this is called strategy? Tehran's repression must be despised, but regime change risks wider catastrophe. For Iranians, Israelis, Americans and the region, the U.S. must reconsider its actions now.

Both sides are manipulating the battlefield picture. Iran projects mass casualties and destroyed radar to boost domestic morale, while Western outlets downplay attack effectiveness to maintain a narrative of dominance. Perception is as lethal as missiles — whoever controls the narrative controls the pace and direction of the conflict. Without accurate damage assessment, policymakers cannot make rational decisions about a conflict that could close the world's most critical oil chokepoint.