Shapiro served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for the Middle East until January—charged with, among other things, considering scenarios in which tensions between Israel and Iran escalated into all-out war and preparing U.

Follow the latest news after Israel launched strikes at Iran, a dramatic escalation in long-running tensions between the two countries.

Aerial attacks between Israel and Iran continued overnight into Monday, marking a fourth day of strikes following Israel's Friday attack. That surprise strike hit the heart of Iran's nuclear program, killing several nuclear scientists as well as high-ranking military leaders, according to Israeli officials.