In many ways, it’s conceivable that Israel's Operation Rising Lion will alter the military balance of power in the Middle East more so than the 1991 Persian Gulf War.

It’s too soon to tell how exactly the current wave of Israeli strikes could transform the region, but one thing is clear: Israel’s actions have fundamentally reshaped the security landscape of the Middle East.

Rising tensions with Iran and fears of an Israeli strike prompted the U.S. to move some of its nonmilitary personnel out of the region.