The Israeli Defense Forces are currently conducting clearing operations within the Gaza Strip. This is a densely populated area, with narrow streets, and a large underground tunnel network. Civilians will continue to be caught in the crossfire until the end of hostilities. The death toll will continue to rise.

U.S Forces have been under almost daily attacks across Iraq and Syria. The Pro-Iranian militias have been conducting a campaign of daily small attacks on U.S. Forces in order to pressure the United States from supporting Israel, and to leave Iraq. Just recently 3 U.S. Soldiers were killed in Jordan. Dozens have been injured in the region. The U.S. has been retaliating with airstrikes and the situation remains tense. 

Palestinian Militias and supporters have been engaging in clashes throughout the West Bank in order to fix IDF forces that could otherwise be used in Gaza. There have been several instances of IEDs (Improvised Explosive Devices) and small arms fire. Scores of people have been killed. 

IDF and Hezbollah Forces have been engaging in clashes along the Lebanon border. An escalation would open a major front in the war. Hezbollah has an estimated 150,000 rockets. An outbreak of war will likely result in large numbers of casualties on both sides. This would increase the possibility of turning the Israel-Gaza war into a major regional war. There is currently talk of potentially using the IDF to push Hezbollah further from the border. 

Houthi rebels have been attacking international shipping from their bases in Yemen in order to pressure the international community to force a peace. The United States has been targeting Houthi positions inside Yemen in an effort to halt these attacks. 

An escalation into a regional war could have catastrophic consequences. The entire Middle East would become a warzone. If it were to happen, it could be one of the largest wars the world has seen since WW2. This is a much more dangerous adversary for the US than the Taliban or the Iraqi Forces under Saddam. Iran has a large population base, large industrial base, and proxy forces all over the Middle East. Area of Operations would include Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Iran.

The death toll and number of U.S. Soldiers required for such an extensive campaign would require a surge in volunteers or a draft, and at a minimum, a semi-mobilization of the U.S. Defense industrial base. In this worst case scenario, the US might need to secure nuclear facilities, which would require a ground campaign into Iran. There could potentially be tens of thousands killed across the region in such a conflict.

It is critical to remeber that things could spiral out of control faster than diplomatic efforts to contain this conflict. The effects could be felt across the globe. If the US was to be occupied fighting Iran, possible second and third order effects could be the Fall of Ukraine to Russia, a potential resurgence of terrorism, China could seize the opportunity to invade Taiwan. There could even be a scenario where North Korea uses the opportunity to attack the South.

A way to prevent these effects would be the necessity to mobilize a large military and expand the military industrial base significantly to be capable of defending US interests and fighting a large-scale war. However, this action in itself could set off a chain reaction of mobilizations by allies and adversaries. It would be the same conditions that led the world into WW1. 

This Worst Case Scenario Must be Avoided.