ORLANDO, Fla. \u2014 As the conflict in the Middle East intensifies, President Donald Trump warned the American public Monday that the war with Iran could last weeks.<\/p>\n
A University of Central Florida professor who studies terrorism said that while it\u2019s still early in the conflict, it is important for people to be aware of what\u2019s going on.<\/p>\n
What You Need To Know<\/p>\n
The conflict in the Middle East is intensifying as the joint U.S.-Israeli action enters its fourth day
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President Donald Trump warned Americans on Monday that the war with Iran could last weeks
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A UCF professor and expert on terrorism studies says Central Floridians should not be afraid of what’s happening, but should remain vigilant<\/p>\n
Dr. Ted Reynolds is the director of terrorism studies at UCF\u2019s Office of Global Perspectives and has been studying terrorism and terrorist groups long before the Sept. 11 attacks.<\/p>\n
He said Iranians have been living under a \u201cvery oppressive regime\u201d \u2014 led by the nation\u2019s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who died this week during the conflict. The regime, Reynolds said, has sponsored multiple terrorist groups, including Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis, for a long time.<\/p>\n
But as multiple attacks have been carried out in countries outside of Iran, including at the U.S. Embassy in Pakistan and in the Saudi Arabian capital, Reynolds said he doesn\u2019t want anyone to be afraid, but he urged Central Floridians to remain vigilant<\/p>\n
\u201cIf something feels off, trust your gut,” he said. “There is discussion, and I see this conversation going on in different forms of the FBI\u2019s very concerned about domestic attacks by people that are either sleeper agents of the Iranian government and some of their proxies, or people that are sympathetic to the Iranian regime. And that\u2019s not uncommon.”<\/p>\n