"Iran-Pakistan Escalation: Implications for Regional Stability"

Iran's recent cross-border missile strikes into Iraq, Syria, and Pakistan have raised concerns of regional escalation and sparked questions about the timing of the attacks amid Israel's war on Gaza. The strikes are seen as a response to perceived threats and a bid to bolster Iran's credibility, but analysts caution against conflating events along the Pakistan border with those in Gaza. Speculation suggests the strikes may have been prearranged and coordinated between Iran and Pakistan, but Pakistan's international position and relationship with India make this unlikely. The attack on a nuclear power is seen as a message to the US and its allies, while also serving internal political purposes for Iran.