The strongest version of this narrative presents a rapidly escalating conflict with multiple actors and fronts, where Iran and its proxies are responding to U.S.-Israeli aggression with increasing boldness. The Houthis' entry into the war, despite their limited military capabilities, signals Iran’s ability to mobilize regional allies, while Israel’s strikes on civilian infrastructure in Tehran and Lebanon raise questions about proportionality and the laws of war. The U.S. deployment of Marines a...