In this round of strikes, the United States appears to be playing a more direct and assertive role than in previous episodes, Sun Taiyi, associate professor of political science at Christopher Newport University in the United States, said in an interview with CGTN.

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly stated that the U.S. carried out strikes against Iran, indicating that Washington is not merely providing logistical or political support to Israel but may be assuming a leading operational role, Sun said.

This shifts the dynamic from indirect backing to active participation, significantly raising both the stakes of the confrontation and the risk of broader regional escalation.