World Briefing Plus: The Iran War Is Spreading - And Europe Is Getting Nervous
From Europe’s uneasy silence to missile strikes across the Gulf - and a surprising new role for Ukraine - the widening Iran war is reshaping alliances, economies, and the global balance of power.
The war sparked by U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran is expanding in ways that few Western leaders appear prepared for - and Europe is watching with deep unease.
In this week’s World Briefing Plus, I begin with a look at surprising divisions across Europe, including among far-right movements that have been some of Donald Trump’s strongest allies. Instead of rallying behind Washington, many European leaders are keeping their distance - worried about violations of international law, soaring energy prices, fresh migration pressures, and the broader security risks of a conflict that is already spilling beyond Iran’s borders.
And spill it has. The past 48 hours alone have seen devastating strikes across the region - from major Israeli attacks on Beirut to missiles hitting Gulf states, including a direct strike on Dubai International Airport and a tower fire in Kuwait. Civilian casualties inside Iran continue to mount, while Azerbaijan has also found itself caught in the widening arc of the conflict.
But this rapidly escalating war has also produced an unexpected twist. After months of delays and tensions over U.S. weapons deliveries, Washington is now turning to Ukraine for help - seeking Kyiv’s expertise in countering Iranian Shahed drones that are now being launched toward Gulf targets in waves. The irony of this is compounding by Donald Trump’s jaw-dropping unique affinity with Vladimir Putin.
At the same time, extraordinary intelligence reports suggest that Russia may be assisting Iran with satellite-based targeting information - enabling strikes on U.S. installations and allied infrastructure across the region. It’s a development that could dramatically widen the geopolitical stakes of this war - even as Washington appears reluctant to confront Moscow directly.
In this special subscriber-only analysis, I connect the geopolitical dots stretching from Tehran to Kyiv, Brussels, and Washington - and explain why this conflict may be entering a far more dangerous phase than many policymakers are willing to acknowledge.
🎥 Watch the full video below.
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