The U.S. is involved in another war in the Middle East

The U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran is less than a week old and has enveloped multiple countries in the Middle East.And while the U.S. said it has decimated Iran’s air force and navy, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth cautioned the war was still in its “early” days.Why the U.S. attacked Iran has been open-ended question. After originally touting an imminent threat of attack from Iran and regime change, the White House Tuesday said its reasons for the campaign were: destroying Iran's missile capabilities; annihilating Iran's navy; preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons; and ensuring the regime can't continue to arm, fund or direct "terrorist armies" outside its borders.While acknowledging Iran was a bad actor on the national stage, Democrats have called the U.S.’s attack illegal, saying only Congress can declare war. They’ve also said they’ve seen no justification for the military action. Sen. Mark Waren of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN, “This is still a war of choice that has been acknowledged by others was dictated by Israel's goals and timelines.”On this week’s Noon Edition, we’ll discuss the on-going conflict in the Middle East, what a post-war Iran could look like, the U.S.’s standing in the region and the impact of the war on Iranians here in the U.S.Join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show to [email protected].  You can also record your questions and send them in through email. GuestsHussein Banai, Associate Professor of International Studies, Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, Indiana UniversityBabak Seradjeh, Professor, Department of Physics, Indiana UniversityLadan Shojaei, Ph.D. Student in Mathematics Education, Indiana University