Where the U.S. falls on both sides of the Middle East religious divide

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Iraqi security forces prepare to attack Islamic State positions in Tikrit, north of Baghdad, Iraq, on March 26.

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The United States is always somehow involved in the Middle East.
But these days, it's even more complicated than usual with America finding itself on both sides of a sectarian divide.

That divide is deepened by the rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Iran is a predominantly Shiite nation while Saudi Arabia is predominantly Sunni Muslim.
Not all Middle Eastern conflicts are simply proxy wars between these two nations, but Iran and Saudi Arabia often support opposing sides. Involvement is complex, but we've charted out how the alliances fall:

* In Syria, the U.S. is fighting on the same side as Iran against the radical Sunni group known as the Islamic State or ISIS.

** In Iraq, the U.S. sides with Iran against ISIS; the U.S. supports the Shiite-dominated government in Baghdad.

*** In Yemen, the U.S. is allied with Saudi Arabia against Shiite rebels known as the Houthis. The Iranian government has supported those rebels and has condemned the Saudi airstrikes.