• •The US launched a second round of strikes on Iranian targets following threats of a 'massive' retaliatory attack from President Trump.
• •UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns the Middle East is reaching an 'edge of the unimaginable,' citing concerns that the situation is spiraling out of control.
• •Congressional oversight remains divided, evidenced by Rep. Ted Lieu questioning UN Ambassador Mike Waltz regarding strike footage during a formal hearing.
• •The scale of the intended US response and the specific long-term strategy for de-escalation remain unconfirmed and publicly opaque.

The United States has engaged in consecutive nights of airstrikes against Iran, a campaign prompted by President Trump’s recent pledges to launch his largest attack to date. While The Guardian focuses on the broader UN warnings of a collapsing regional order, Al Jazeera’s coverage highlights the domestic friction within US legislative bodies, specifically the interrogation of officials over strike documentation. This dual focus reveals a disconnect between urgent international diplomatic warnings and the localized, often contentious debate occurring inside the halls of Congress. Whether these diplomatic and legislative interventions can contain the conflict depends on whether the administration provides a clear threshold for the promised 'massive' escalation.