As Israel readies for a ground invasion of Gaza, and Palestinian and Israeli civilian deaths continue to mount, a broader struggle for influence continues in the Middle East between the United States and Iran. The U.S. has long played an important leadership role in the Middle East. American influence has hinged on maintaining close ties to diverse allies, including Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. And since the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Iran's leaders have sought to boost their regional influence and secure their domestic position in power by undermining America's relationships in the Middle East. The long-standing Israel-Palestinian dispute is central to Iran's regional strategy, which aims to drive a wedge between Israel and its neighbors and complicate U.S. relations throughout the Arab world. So far, the Israel-Hamas war appears to be having precisely those effects. Iran boosted aid to Hamas during the Second Intifada, a violent...
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