"There are capabilities Iran did not fully employ in the previous round," a former senior Israeli military analyst told Newsweek.

U.S. forces surge into the Middle East amid Iran tensions, drawing comparisons to 2003 Iraq buildup. Military experts say intent differs fundamentally.

Readers are divided on U.S. military action against Iran, with themes of constitutional authority, Trump's policies, and the risks of war prevalent.

If Congress cedes its power to stop a war with Iran, it will fully erode any lingering promise of democratic restraint.

Ryan Crocker is a distinguished chair in diplomacy and security at RAND, and he was a career Foreign Service Officer who served six times as an American ambassador to: Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Kuwait and Lebanon.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guard has not left a single stretch of the border with Iraq without deploying heavy units, ballistic missile launch platforms, and radar systems in preparation for war,”

US-Iran war consequences would extend far beyond the Middle East, triggering global economic shocks and widespread regional instability, unlike the 2003 Iraq invasion.

The US has assembled what analysts are calling its largest military deployment near Iran since the Iraq War. The armada consists of two carrier strike groups, over 50 fighter jets, Patriot and THAAD systems near Iran amid rising tensions and stalled nuclear talks.

Trump spoke on Iran at his State of the Union Address, alluding to his ongoing negotiations with the nation while emphasizing he had not yet come to an agreement with them about nuclear weapons.