As Iran threatened U.S. bases hosted by its Middle East allies, President Donald Trump shifted focus to advancing a U.S.-brokered Gaza peace plan, raising questions over whether Washington is seeking to calm Tehran while reshaping the regional order. Trump’s envoy announced Phase Two of the Gaza initiative, moving from ceasefire to demilitarization, governance and reconstruction, while warning Hamas of consequences if it refuses to disarm. The diplomatic push unfolds amid deadly protests in Iran, accusations of foreign plots, and escalating U.S.–Iran war rhetoric. With over 2,500 reported dead, regional powers are scrambling to contain a crisis that risks spilling into a wider conflict.
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