After twelve days of intense strikes between Israel and Iran – punctuated by the United States’ bombing of Iranian nuclear sites over the weekend and Tehran’s performative retaliation – a US-brokered ceasefire appeared to be holding on Tuesday.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security warned Americans of a "heightened threat environment" on June 22 that could include attacks on U.S. soil. That fear appeared to dissipate when Iran attacked a United States military base in Qatar June 23, injuring no one.

This week’s whipsaw chain of events involving Iran, Israel and the United States that culminated in a surprise ceasefire has raised many questions about how the Trump administration will approach the Middle East going forward.