A U.S. military operation against Iran could carry serious political costs for President Donald Trump, according to the German newspaper Die Zeit. The publication argues that another campaign in the Middle East is unlikely to lift the White House out of its current slump.

The paper notes that Trump’s approval ratings are at historic lows and suggests that a fresh offensive against Iran would not necessarily reverse that trend. On the contrary, potential American casualties and the prospect of a prolonged confrontation could create deeper problems for the administration than abandoning a force-based approach.

On Saturday, February 28, the United States and Israel announced the launch of a large-scale operation targeting Iran. The move came just a week after Washington had been engaged in active negotiations with Teheran over its nuclear program.

Officials in Tel-Aviv said the strikes were aimed at preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. In Washington, authorities stated that U.S. forces intended to damage Iran’s naval capabilities and defense sector, while also calling for a change of power in the country.

Media reports indicate that missile strikes hit not only military facilities but also civilian infrastructure inside Iran, resulting in numerous civilian deaths and injuries.

Teheran responded with attacks on Israeli territory and on U.S. military installations in the Middle East.

Moscow condemned the actions of Washington and Tel-Aviv, arguing that they undermine efforts to strengthen the nuclear non-proliferation regime. The Russian side urged all parties to return to diplomatic dialogue.