The military escalation between Iran and Israel has reached a critical point. With bombings on nuclear facilities, ballistic missiles crossing Middle Eastern skies, and the increasing involvement of the United States, the conflict threatens to spill across borders.

The assassination of three commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guard in an Israeli strike on Isfahan marked a turning point. In retaliation, Tehran launched drones and missiles into central Israel. Over 400 Iranian civilians have died since the conflict began on June 13, while Israel has reported at least 29 fatalities.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump returned from his New Jersey golf club to lead National Security Council meetings. His dilemma: to intervene militarily with B-2 Spirit bombers, capable of delivering 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs. These weapons could reach Iran's deeply buried Fordo nuclear site, inaccessible to Israeli aircraft.

The White House schedule for the weekend said that Mr. Trump would return from his golf club in Bedminster, N.J., and would meet with his national security team at 6 p.m. on Saturday and again on Sunday.Credit...

The U.S. president has postponed the decision. According to the White House, Trump will decide "within two weeks." During that time, diplomacy struggles to avert a broader disaster. European efforts in Geneva have failed. Iran refuses negotiations under fire, and its foreign minister warned that U.S. involvement would be "extremely dangerous."

Iran's internal situation is also deteriorating. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has taken refuge in a bunker, suspended electronic communications, and named potential successors in case of assassination. His government has reported Israeli infiltrations and imposed extreme measures: total internet blackout, highway controls, and even execution threats for enemy collaborators.

A B-2 stealth bomber assigned to Whiteman Air Force Base in 2020. It is not unusual to shift military assets into position to provide options to the president and military commanders even if they are not ultimately deployed.

In Israel, the military prepares for a "prolonged campaign." It has destroyed Iranian air defenses, eliminated senior military leaders, and struck critical infrastructure, including refineries and hospitals. The stated goal: delay Iran's nuclear development, which Tel Aviv claims is two to three years from producing a weapon.

But what if Trump intervenes? Experts fear a regional war with global consequences. Iran-backed militias, like the Houthis in Yemen, have threatened to strike U.S. assets. Gulf governments are meeting with the UN, worried about nuclear disasters near their borders.

Analysis of satellite imagery from Airbus, Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs, local news reports, and verified social photos and videos

From Jordan to Egypt, fear hangs heavy. Nations traditionally distant from Israel are deeply concerned about a direct U.S.-Iran confrontation. Meanwhile, civilians live under bombardment, blackouts, and the trauma of seeing daily life vanish beneath the roar of explosions.