“If the Middle East is unstable, the world will not be at peace,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said Thursday. “If the conflict escalates further, not only will the conflicting parties suffer greater losses, but regional countries will also suffer greatly.”

For years, Israel contained its conflicts with Tehran, Hamas and Hezbollah. The broad assault on Iran highlights a shift in strategy.

As tensions rise in the Middle East with Israel's strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities, the 'America First' coalition led by Donald Trump faces a critical identity crisis. Amid calls for intervention and anti-war sentiments,