Irish Examiner view: Iran strikes could spark unintended consequences

Already, Iran has retaliated with missile strikes in Kuwait, Saudi, Bahrain, Qatar, and the UAE, while also targeting the cities of Haifa and Beit Shemesh in Israel, among others

Police officers walk past a burning police's armoured vehicle, which was set on fire by Shiite Muslims during a protest to condemn the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Karachi, Pakistan, on Sunday. Picture: Ali Raza/AP

Recklessness would appear to be a part of the DNA of US president Donald Trump. It was a large feature of his business life and his many bankruptcies; it played a huge, if successful, part of his unorthodox campaign strategies; it is playing out in his tariff policies; and now it is evident in his military attack on Iran.

While there may have been reasons — even if they were somewhat obtuse — in most things he has done during the course of his business and political life, there appears to be little, if any, clarity about his military objectives in attacking Iran and even less about the potential consequences.