For many in the region, the first worry is not the wording of communiqués but the reality on the ground. A single strike, a miscalculation, or the wrong message picked up by an anxious commander could ignite a wider blaze. U.S. leaders have said they would take action if they judged that Iran was restarting parts of its nuclear programme. Israelis and Americans have previously conducted strikes on sites they said were associated with Iran’s nuclear programme — a sign that the simmering conflict has already warmed into episodic violence. Iran’s foreign minister fired back on social media, calling the decision “another major strategic mistake” and warning that Europe risked damaging its own interests.