Trump clueless, unattainable objectives 'unchanged'; US bases, embassies, Israel hit hard, energy sector devastated; F-35 hit; Senate votes more war - IRAN WAR NEWS - 19-Mar-2026 (update 4)
"Netanyahu finally found someone stupid enough to do it." -- Max Blumenthal, referring to Trump and the US war on Iran
12bytes: In the purist spirit of 'FAFO' (fuck around, find out) Trump has started a religious war at the direction of his Chabad-Lubivitch Zionist masters that he has been losing badly since the opening salvo slaughtered a bunch of school girls. Any delusions Trump had of achieving his ever-changing goals in the Middle East have since evaporated. US bases in the region have been largely destroyed and abandoned in some instances, leaving their hosts and Israel blind to incoming munitions and no one can stop Iran's hypersonic or multi-warhead missiles. They are running out of interceptors. Their reporting of incoming missiles and drones being "intercepted" or that they "fell out of the sky" or "missed their target" or caused only "superficial damage", etc., are largely lies. The damage to US bases and Israel is immense and worsens by the hour. The "Iron Dome" has been dismantled and reduced to providing, at best, a 1-2 minute warning to shelter, if any at all. It is strictly forbidden for people to report on the damage inflicted by Iran, many of which have been arrested. This is why we're not getting a lot of visuals from inside Israel or the Gulf states.
Trump seeks an exit ramp, but his back is against the Wailing Wall and 'plan B' is being fabricated on-the-fly. Worse still, it is a near certainty that even if the US pulled out, the Iranian's will continue attacking Israel until the parasitic Zionist cockroaches have paid a price that Iran deems sufficient and that price increases with every bomb the US/Israel drops on their civilians and leaders. Meanwhile, Iran controls shipping in the Hormuz Strait and thus has its enemies by their proverbial balls until its demands are met, including US withdrawal from the region and the elimination of sanctions. What will the end look like? Will the US and/or Israel deploy nuclear weapons? Russia and China are unlikely to allow Iran to fall.
Stay tuned.
UPDATE 4
Israel Took Out Iran's Caspian Sea Fleet In Violent Strikes (Videos) | South Front
The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) on March 19 announced that it carried out a series of strikes at the Iranian port city of Bandar Anzal and in the Caspian Sea over the past day, destroying several vessels of the Iranian Navy, as well as naval infrastructure
Trump forced to issue false denial of US role in Israeli attack on Iran's South Pars
US President Donald Trump has said he did not know in advance about Israel's terrorist attack on Iran's South Pars gas field, but according to media reports, the attack was coordinated with the United States.
'Clumsy': Tit-for-tat strikes on energy assets gift Iran another tactical lever | Middle East Eye
The US's "clumsy" handling of attacks on Iran's energy assets has handed Tehran a lever of escalation dominance in a rapidly spiralling war, two Arab officials told Middle East Eye.
"First, Trump misjudged Iran on the Strait of Hormuz. He hasn't fixed that. Now, he called Iran's bluff by approving an Israeli attack on energy production. The US is showing itself to be a clumsy ally," an Arab official told MEE.
Israel's attack on Iran's South Pars gas field earlier this week prompted what energy analysts have long war-gamed as a worst-case scenario: tit-for-tat strikes on complex and expensive energy production sites.
Iran retaliated to the Israeli strike by bombing Qatar's Ras Laffan natural gas facilities.
Iran warns of no restraint if infrastructure attacks continue
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has issued a stern warning, stating that Iran will exercise no further restraint if its infrastructure faces repeated attacks.
In a message posted on his X account on Thursday, Araghchi emphasized that the response to Israel's recent attacks on Iranian infrastructure was only a fraction of Iran's capabilities.
The Israeli regime attacked parts of Iran's fuel and energy infrastructure in the country's south on Wednesday.
Araghchi noted that the sole reason for Iran's restraint was adherence to calls for de-escalation.
"If attacks on our infrastructure are repeated, there will be no more self-restraint," Araghchi declared, adding that any end to the conflict must address the damages inflicted upon civilian sites.
Lebanon's Islamic Resistance launches series of strikes on Israeli military sites, settlements - Yemen Press Agency
BEIRUT, March 20 (YPA) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon announced on Thursday a series of attacks targeting a military base, three sites, and a gathering of Israeli occupation's soldiers, as well as two settlements in the occupied territories, as part of its ongoing operations in under the "Eaten Chaff" (or Eaten Storm) banner.
According to multiple statements, the strikes included shelling the Adathir site (Mount Adir), the Tiffin base east of Acre, and a newly established position in Nimr al-Jamal opposite the town of Alma al-Shaab, in addition to targeting Israeli troop gatherings in Labuna and al-Manara.
The group also launched repeated rocket attacks on the settlements of Even Menachem and Kiryat Shmona, describing them as part of prior warnings issued to residents of northern occupied Palestine.
Iran's forces force oil tanker to retreat from Strait of Hormuz - Yemen Press Agency
TEHRAN, March 19 (YPA) - The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on the "True Promise 4" operations that its naval forces forced a large Barbados-flagged oil tanker, carrying about 160,000 tons, to turn back and refrain from transiting the Strait of Hormuz after attempting to defy declared restrictions.
According to the statement, the vessel changed course and withdrew rapidly as Iranian units moved to a state of high alert, a move Tehran described as evidence of its on-the-ground control over the strategic waterway.
The IRGC added that the incident goes beyond halting a single ship, framing it as a message to regional and international actors that any opposing move would face an immediate response, stressing that the Strait of Hormuz is now governed by new power dynamics imposed by Tehran.
Brian Berletic: Iran War - A Gateway to War with China & Russia
Brian Berletic is a former US Marine, author, international relations expert and host of the New Atlas. Berletic discusses how the US war against Iran is a gateway to war with China and Russia.
Andrei Martyanov: Iran Hits US F-35... MASSIVE Retaliation After Israel Hits MAJOR Energy Hub
Analysis of US-Iran conflict highlights gap between official claims and military realities. Discussion covers US weapons production limits, Iran's escalation dominance, and regional strike capabilities impacting Strait of Hormuz. Rising oil prices, petrodollar challenges, and BRICS cooperation signal shifting global order. Critics argue US leadership underestimated Iran's military sophistication and civilizational resilience. Regional consequences for Israel, Gulf states, and energy/food security examined. Conversation suggests military overextension and economic pressures may force Western strategic reassessment as multipolar dynamics accelerate.
True Promise 4: Iran and resistance axis ops. against US-Israeli assets on Mar. 19
On Thursday, March 19, 2026, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Army conducted multiple operations as part of Operation True Promise 4, which was launched immediately after the US-Israeli coalition carried out an unprovoked act of aggression against the Islamic Republic of Iran on February 28.
Iranian armed forces have so far carried out 65 waves of missile and drone strikes with advanced weaponry targeting Israeli military facilities in the occupied territories, as well as US occupation bases and assets scattered across the West Asia region.
The Lebanese Hezbollah resistance movement and the Islamic Resistance in Iraq have also joined the front against the external aggressors, inflicting heavy blows on the enemy.
Hezbollah's operations have been primarily focused on Israeli military sites in the occupied territories. Its operations are both in response to the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the relentless ceasefire violations by the Israeli regime over the past year.
Iraqi resistance groups have also been carrying out daily operations, primarily against American military assets in Iraq and other Arab countries.
Below is a list of operations carried out by the Iranian armed forces, as well as resistance movements in Lebanon and Iraq, against the US and the Zionist regime on March 19:
Sayyed al-Houthi declares full military readiness against Israeli aggression - Yemen Press Agency
SANAA, March 20 (YPA) - Sayyed Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, the leader of Yemeni Ansarullah movement, offered on Thursday heartfelt condolences to the Islamic Republic of Iran over the martyrdom of its leaders, reiterating a firm stance against Israeli aggression toward Iran, Lebanon, and Palestine.
During his 29th Ramadan lecture on Thursday evening, Sayyed al-Houthi declared that Yemen is fully prepared to respond to any developments militarily.
Israelis protest in Tel Aviv calling for end to Iran war | US-Israel war on Iran | Al Jazeera
Israelis protested in Tel Aviv demanding an end to the war with Iran and conflict with Hezbollah, as millions shelter from ongoing attacks. At least 18 people have been killed and over 3,000 injured in Israel since the war began. Protesters accused the government of prolonging the conflict with no clear timeline or goals.
Alex Krainer: Middle East ERUPTS: Iran Unleashes Missile Storm on Israel & Gulf States
Escalating Middle East tensions analyzed: Iranian oil facility attacks trigger regional responses and Strait of Hormuz developments, signaling a shift toward multipolar economic warfare. Discussion covers US foreign policy risks, potential for regional/nuclear escalation, and the "Axis of Resistance" reshaping West Asia. Explores declining Western military dominance, BRICS implications, and European political fragmentation as sovereignty movements challenge EU centralization. Examines how energy security, historical colonial patterns, and current geopolitical miscalculations converge. Emphasizes need for truth, accountability, and diplomatic solutions over endless escalation, while highlighting growing global awareness of hidden power structures driving conflict. A sobering look at 21st-century geopolitics and the urgent call for new leadership committed to peace.
UPDATE 3
Netanyahu says Iran no longer has uranium enrichment capacity | Reuters
12bytes: This is all lies of course. My comments interspersed with his...
JERUSALEM, March 19 (Reuters) - Iran no longer has the capacity to enrich uranium or make ballistic missiles after 20 days of U.S.-Israeli air attacks, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told a news conference on Thursday.
Most of Iran's key missile manufacturing and nuclear enrichment infrastructure is located deep underground, out of the reach of US 'bunker-buster' bombs (Israel doesn't have any).
"We are winning, and Iran is being decimated," Netanyahu said, noting that Iran's missile and drone arsenal is being massively degraded and will be destroyed.
...he says, as Israel and US bases are hit again today with missiles never before seen and Iran can keep this up for far longer than US/Israel can.
"What we're destroying now are the factories that produce the components to make these missiles and to make the nuclear weapons that they're trying to produce," Netanyahu said.
Again, these facilities are deep underground and Iran HAD no interest in developing a nuclear bomb, but they sure as hell might be rethinking that now.
Netanyahu did not provide evidence for his claim that Iran no longer had the capacity to enrich uranium.
Iran's nuclear programme was the focus of mediated talks that ultimately collapsed with the U.S. and Israel launching an air attack on Iran on February 28. Iran has fired missiles back at Israel and other Gulf countries while also limiting tankers from using the Straight of Hormuz.
The talks did NOT collapse. Iran was making huge concessions when it was attacked, just as the US did last time.
Despite the nearly three week war, it was still too soon to tell whether Iranians will take to the streets to try to overthrow their government, Netanyahu said.
"It's up to the Iranian people to show that, to choose the moment and to rise to the moment," he said.
These attacks served to further galvanize Iranians resolve to fight.
While the war so far has been conducted via air attacks, Netanyahu said there has to be a ground component as well and "there are many possibilities for this ground component." He did not elaborate.
Israeli's of course wouldn't be dying in that meat grinder - it will be the US if Trump is stupid enough to commit to a ground invasion.
Netanyahu also denied he dragged the United States into the conflict.
"Does anyone really think that someone can tell President Trump what to do?" he said.
The US-Israeli strategy against Iran is failing. Here is why | Middle East Eye
With incompatible war aims, no definition of victory, and a battlefield that keeps expanding, the US-Israel onslaught is doomed - and Iran only needs to survive to prevail
Saudi Arabia threatens military action against Iran - RT World News
The "patience" of the Gulf states towards Tehran is not "unlimited," the Saudi Arabian foreign minister has warned
12bytes: Blah-blah-blah. Everybody's talking tough. Let's see how they fare when the missiles start flying.
American forces are leaving the Gulf. The Pentagon has another word for it. - YouTube
12bytes: NOTICE: This is AI so take it with a grain of salt. I offered an extended opinion on the 'Frum Repot' in yesterdays war post. Their reporting has been accurate in my opinion, however i'm not sure about this video in which 'he' states that the US is withdrawing from its Gulf bases. I did not find any evidence to support this (evacuations, yes, but not 'withdrawal'). If this report isn't later backed up, i'll scrap the Frum Report.
Transport aircraft are departing from Qatar carrying personnel. Hangars are being emptied. Positions that American forces have held continuously for years across Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, and the UAE are being vacated under active Iranian missile and drone fire. The New York Times calls it a redesign of military presence. The Jerusalem Post is covering it. Turkish media calls it what it is.
The early warning radar network that made those bases survivable has been systematically destroyed. The interceptor stockpiles have been drawn down across fifty-four waves of Iranian offensive operations. The blinding strategy worked. And the transport aircraft leaving with American personnel aboard do not change their operational meaning based on what terminology the Pentagon press briefing attaches to them.
Iran Hits Israel's Haifa Refinery Using Brand New 'Nasrallah' Missile (Videos) | South Front
An Iranian missile strike hit Israel's BAZAN Group refineries in the northern city of Haifa on March 19, in an apparent response to the American-approved Israeli attack that targeted the Islamic Republic's largest gas field, South Pars, a day earlier.
[...]
The IDF attempted to play down the strike by claiming that the impacts at the oil refineries in Haifa were caused by falling fragments following the interception of an Iranian ballistic missile. However, videos posted to social media showed a direct hit and a fairly large fire at the center of the facility.
The Haifa refineries are Israel's largest oil processing facility and a cornerstone of the country's energy security and industrial economy. They process approximately 197,000 barrels of oil per day, supplying roughly 50-60 percent of domestic fuel in the country.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced later it had targeted refineries in Haifa, and in Ashdod, in the south of Israel, "along with a range of security targets and military support centers of the Zionist regime", which it said "were hit by pinpoint missiles" in response to the attack on the South Pars field.
The guards noted that a brand new missile system dubbed "Nasrallah" was used in the attacks, describing it as an upgraded version of the Ghadr medium-range ballistic missile, which is also known as Ghadr-110.
Iran ZERO Restraint After Israel Attacks Huge Gas Field; Hits Mideast Energy Targets; Energy Crisis - YouTube
IN OTHER NEWS...
JEWS OF ISRAEL GET FREE MEDICAL TREATMENT AND ORGANS IN THE USA!?!
NOT ONLY THAT, THEY GET MOVED TO THE FRONT OF THE LINE EVEN IF OTHER'S WERE WAITING LONG BEFORE THEM.
12bytes: What this young woman didn't mention is the lucrative organ harvesting and trafficking trade that Israel engages in and that's just the tip of the iceberg.
UPDATE 2
Iran's Explosive Claim Revealed: Israel Plotting '9/11-Style' Terror Attack In US To Frame Tehran - YouTube
Iran has accused Israel of planning a "false flag" operation to escalate the ongoing Middle East conflict. Ali Larijani alleged that Israel could stage a major terror-style incident on U.S. soil and blame Tehran in order to justify further military action. Iranian officials also claimed that Washington and Tel Aviv may have reverse-engineered the Shahed‑136 drone to conduct attacks across the Gulf region under a different name, accusing them of trying to frame Iran for strikes in countries such as Turkey, Kuwait, and Iraq.
Power without exit - America's strategic trap in the Strait of Hormuz - Middle East Monitor
The United States today finds itself ensnared in a war it cannot win, yet cannot leave. What appears, at first glance, as a familiar display of military dominance in West Asia is, in fact, a deeper crisis of strategy, legitimacy, and control. The conflict involving the United States, Israel, and Iran has exposed a paradox at the heart of American power: the more force it projects, the fewer viable options it retains. Nowhere is this contradiction more sharply visible than in the battle over the Strait of Hormuz-a narrow passage that has become the fulcrum of a widening geopolitical confrontation.
Hegseth insists US is meeting Iran war objectives | Oil and Gas | Al Jazeera
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth insisted Washington is meeting its objectives against Iran despite escalating attacks on Gulf energy facilities. Iran struck Qatar's Ras Laffan gas facility and energy sites in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, driving oil above $100 a barrel.
WATCH | Wave 65 of True Pro-mise 4 launched with 'Nasrallah' systems for the first time - YouTube
Footage shows the launch of Wave 65 of Operation True Promise 4, using the "Nasrallah" systems for the first time.
Iran claims F-35 hit (VIDEO) - RT World News
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed striking a US F-35 fighter jet with anti-aircraft fire and has circulated video of the plane sustaining a hit.
The claims have been corroborated by CNN, which suggested the aircraft sustained damage but was able to make an emergency landing at an American airbase in the region.
Thermal footage released by the IRGC shows a silhouette of a plane, appearing to match that of a F-35, hit by an unknown projectile. Footage abruptly cuts off after the hit.
"The fate of the fighter jet is unclear and under investigation, and the likelihood of its crash is very high," the IRGC said in a statement, adding that more than 125 US and Israeli long-range drones have been intercepted during the war.
Footage documents missile strikes in Haifa - YouTube
Circulating footage shows missile impacts targeting a petrochemical facility in Haifa Bay, as reported by Israeli media.
KLM extends suspension of Dubai, Riyadh, Dammam flights until May 17 - Middle East Monitor
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines said Thursday that it will not resume flights to Dubai, Riyadh, and Dammam until May 17, citing safety considerations as the US-Israeli war on Iran continues, Anadolu reports.
Exclusive: How Hezbollah rebuilt while its enemies declared it dead | Middle East Eye
For over a year, Israel, Washington and even Lebanon's government have been speaking as if Hezbollah has been broken for good.
Yet the Lebanese armed movement is once again at war with Israel, striking its enemy in response to the US-Israeli war on Iran.
Its performance on the battlefield and ability to strike deep into Israeli territory shows that Hezbollah treated its 15 months of ceasefire with Israel not as an end to war, but as a narrow and urgent window to rebuild, reorganise and prepare for what it believed would inevitably come next.
Death toll surpasses 1,000 in Lebanon as Israeli bombardment continues | Israel attacks Lebanon News | Al Jazeera
At least 40 medical workers among those killed as rights groups urge Israel to end attacks on Lebanon health facilities.
IMPORTANT ARTICLE: End of Israel? - by Alex Krainer - I-System TrendCompass
One of the themes that's gained prominence in social, but also in some traditional media, is the role of Israel and Zionist leadership in maneuvering President Trump into launching the 28 February attack on Iran. During the recent days, we had the resignation of Joe Kent, Trump's Director of National Counterterrorism Center who, in his scathing resignation letter wrote as follows:
"I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war on Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby."
[...]
All this put Israel in the spotlights, prompting many to make statements to the effect that the Zionists "own" or control Trump. Among other things, they've noted that the attack happened on the eve of the Jewish holiday of Purim, which commemorates Jewish victory over the Persian Empire which was then ruled by Xerxes.
[...]
Some researchers who poured over Epstein files claim that Trump is controlled by the Jewish movement Chabad Lubavich (as evidence, they point to an unclassified FBI document that claims this, citing "a confidential human source [who] told this to investigators."). Allegedly, Jared Kushner, Sheldon Adelson and Howard Lutnick are (were) also members of this movement whose core tenet was the preparation of the world for the messianic age in which the third Temple would be built in Jerusalem, the Messiah would reveal himself and a Jewish kingdom would be established over the whole world.
Donald Trump was to play a prominent role in all this: apparently, Chabad believes that Trump is Messiah Ben Joseph, the forerunner to the real Jewish Messiah Ben David. But in order to Messiah Ben David to reveal himself, the world must be plunged in a Messianic age and an Armageddon. I appreciate how irrational all of this may sound, but the Chabad movement, which strongly backs Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, takes this entirely seriously.
12bytes: The Israel war on Iran, aided by their Christian Zionist minions in the US, is indeed rooted in Jewish-satanic religious beliefs. Read: The Israel-Iran war is rooted in Jewish satanic beliefs
US approves $23bn in arms sales to Arab allies | Middle East Eye
In notices sent to Congress on Thursday, the State Department said the US would sell more than $8bn in air defence systems and related materiel, including drones, air-to-air missiles, and F-16 fighter jet munitions to the UAE, $8bn in missile defence and radar systems to Kuwait, and $70.5m of aircraft and munitions support to Jordan.
Another $6bn in sales to the three countries was approved but did not require congressional notification because they involved adjustments to previously approved packages or purely commercial sales, a State Department official said, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump: "Nobody Knows More About Knowing More About Everything Than I Do!" - Kevin Barrett's Truth Jihad
US President Donald Trump has raised eyebrows by claiming that he knows more about knowing more about everything than anyone else ever has. At a press conference this morning outside the Jeffrey Epstein Memorial Ballroom, Trump made what he called a "very important announcement: Nobody knows more about knowing more about everything than I do. I know everything there is to know about knowing everything and then some."
Trump added that not only does he know everything there is to know about knowing everything there is to know about everything, but he actually knows even more than that, but rarely talks about it due to modesty.
Trump went on to say that he knows more about physics than physicists, more about medicine than doctors, more about war than generals, more about economics than economists, more about law than lawyers, more about outer space than astronomers, more about dinosaur fossils than paleontologists, and more about teenage pussy than Jeffrey Epstein. "And I know how to grab 'em by it too, better than anybody."
Pausing briefly to wipe the spittle from his chin, Trump added:
"And last but not least, don't let me forget: I know more about narcissism than psychiatrists!"
Trump's personal psychiatrist, Dr. Bandy Lee, could not be reached for comment.
IN OTHER NEWS...
An investigation of the forces behind the age-verification bills [LWN.net]
spoiler: it's meta/facebook
UPDATE 1
US intelligence undercuts Trump's main justification for war with Iran - Middle East Monitor
In written testimony submitted on 18 March, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said: "As a result of Operation Midnight Hammer, Iran's nuclear enrichment programme was obliterated. There has been no efforts since then to try to rebuild their enrichment capability." The assessment undercuts Trump's repeated claims that Iran posed an "imminent threat" and was close to obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Op True Promise, Wave 64: Ben Gurion, Haifa, US Fifth Fleet targeted in retaliatory strikes
Iran has launched Wave 64 of Operation True Promise, targeting key military sites in the Israeli occupied territories, including Ben Gurion Airport, fuel supply lines, and strategic military bases in Haifa and Rishon LeZion.
The operation, which began at dawn Thursday, utilized advanced missile systems, including Qadr, Emad, Kheibar Shekan, and Khorramshahr, hitting all designated targets.
Iranian officials stated that the strikes are part of a broader response to Israeli and US military aggression in the region.
The US Fifth Fleet, stationed in the Persian Gulf, was also targeted by mid-range missiles. Iranian sources confirmed that the operation is continuing successfully.
As a result of the operations, over 5 million settlers of the occupied territories are said to be confined to shelters. Iranian authorities described the operation as a direct retaliation for Israeli and US aggression.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) reported intercepting Israeli-made "Heron" and Herbiter (Harop) drones over Tehran and Karaj, which were attempting surveillance over sensitive Iranian sites.
The IRGC reported that life inside shelters has become the new normal for Israeli settlers in recent days, with residents having little to no chance to leave.
Army announces drone strikes on key Israeli targets
Separately, the Iranian Army confirmed that drone attacks were carried out in retaliation for the blood of the brave crew of the Dena destroyer and the martyrdom of Intelligence Minister Ismail Khatib.
Iran hits Gulf oil facilities with retaliatory strikes; Global energy markets shaken; Lebanon death toll tops 1,000
Israel kills 12 in strike on residential area in Iran. Iran targets energy infrastructure in Gulf states in retaliatory strikes. President Donald Trump threatens to hit gas field again. Pentagon requests $200 billion for Iran war. Oil hits $119 a barrel. Projectile hits Bushehr nuclear plant grounds. Fire aboard USS Gerald R. Ford injures sailors, raises concerns over deployment. Saudi Arabia says missiles intercepted over Riyadh as videos show fires.
Iran attack on Qatar gas will take up to five years to repair, damage $26bn: QatarEnergy CEO | Middle East Eye
QatarEnergy CEO Saad al-Kaabi told Reuters that the damage caused by Iran's attack on its facilities has wiped out 17 percent of their operating capacity.
Israel has just set off a chain reaction that will set the Gulf on fire - RT World News
By March 19, 2026, the pattern is unmistakable. What began as a war centered on Israel, Iran, Lebanon, and the waters around the Strait of Hormuz has now spilled decisively into the infrastructure heart of the Gulf monarchies.
UK and allies condemn Iran attacks and are ready to help secure Strait of Hormuz | Middle East Eye
The UK, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Japan have issued a joint statement condemning Iran's attacks on the Gulf and say they are ready to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz to stabilise energy markets.
[...]
The nations urged Iran to comply with international law and express "deep concern about the escalating conflict", but do not mention or condemn the Israeli attack on the Iranian gas field on Wednesday that sparked Iran's retaliatory attacks on the region.
War Beyond the Battlefield: How the Iran Conflict Is Reshaping Global Power and the World Economy - Middle East Monitor
Reports indicate that several Arab leaders have privately urged Washington to shift more of its defensive resources toward protecting Gulf states from Iranian missile and drone attacks rather than focusing primarily on Israel. Such requests reflect a growing concern among regional governments that the existing security framework may not be sufficient to shield them from the consequences of the conflict.
The war has also exposed the limits of advanced military technology in modern conflicts. Iranian drones and relatively inexpensive missile systems have forced the United States and its allies to deploy highly sophisticated interceptor systems. Each interception however carries a significant financial cost. The imbalance between low cost offensive weapons and extremely expensive defensive interceptors creates a dynamic in which even successful defenses impose a heavy economic burden.
Philippot called for the lifting of sanctions against Russia in light of the situation in the Middle East
12bytes: Seems EU 'morals' are quickly taking a back seat to energy concerns.
"We must immediately freeze prices, cut taxes and break away from the EU to leave the European electricity market, reduce VAT to 5.5% and lift anti-Russian sanctions!" he wrote on the social media platform X.
Global attention must not lose sight of Palestine - Middle East Monitor
In recent comments, Colombian President Gustavo Petro described Israel's genocide in Gaza as an experiment threatening the Global South. "What we are seeing before us is the making of barbarism and undoubtedly the possibility of a world war. It means the destruction of thousands, tens of thousands of lives that have nothing to do with geopolitics but still end up beneath the missiles," Petro stated.
Israeli politicians have openly stated they would replicate Gaza in Lebanon. Israel has forcibly displaced one million people in South Lebanon. Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz has stated that the displaced Lebanese people will not be allowed to return to their homes as they pose a security threat to Israel.
END UPDATES
US weighs sending thousands of troops to region as Iran war rages: Report | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera
The deployments could help provide Trump with additional options as he weighs expanding US operations, with the Iran war well into its third week, Reuters reported on Thursday, at the same time further entrenching the US in a foreign war, the like of which he had repeatedly promised never to do.
War on Iran to impose trillion-dollar 'Israel First Tax' on US citizens: Araghchi
The Iranian foreign minister says ordinary Americans bear the brunt of the illegal US-Israeli aggression against Iran with the trillion-dollar "Israel First tax" that is expected to hit US economy.
Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in an X post on Thursday after The Washington Post reported that the US Ministry of War seeks more than $200 billion in budget request for the military assault against Iran.
The top Iranian diplomat described the figure as "the tip of the iceberg" as the war is about to enter its fourth week, contrary to what the enemies had predicted to be a short one.
"We're only three weeks into this war of choice, imposed on both Iranians and Americans," he said.
"This $200b is the tip of the icerberg. Ordinary Americans can thank [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu and his lackeys in Congress for the trillion-dollar "First Israel tax" that is about to hit US economy."
US objectives in Iran have not changed, Hegseth says | Middle East Eye
Hegseth told reporters that the objectives remained to destroy Iran's missile launchers, its defence industrial base and navy, as well as never allowing Iran to obtain a nuclear weapon.
12bytes: I wonder if tattoo Petie even realizes that a) Iran doesn't need above ground missile launchers to launch a lot of is missiles, b) that the eyes of the US and Israel have been poked out when they lost all their multi-billion dollar radar systems making those mobile missile launchers a hell of lot harder to locate, c) that Iran's defense industry is largely underground where no US weapons can touch it, d) that Iran's surface Navy was never a threat, but it's great you sank a lot of essentially useless little boats so you puff your chest on TV and claim victory (you're gonna learn about their other Navy shortly) and, last not but least, e) that Iran never had nor wanted a nuclear weapons program, which you knew, but i'll bet they hatch one now!
US-Israeli attacks kill four taekwondo athletes in Tabriz, Iran - report says | Middle East Eye
US and Israeli strikes have killed several people, including four taekwondo athletes, this morning in the city of Tabriz in northwestern Iran, Iran's Mehr news agency reported.
In a separate incident earlier today, 12 people were killed in attacks on a residential area of Dorud county in the west of the country.
Khamenei says "criminal killers will soon pay" after Larijani killing - Middle East Monitor
Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has said that "every drop of blood has a price that the criminal killers will soon pay" in a message of condolence following the death of senior security official Ali Larijani.
Iran hits Qatar gas operations in response to Israeli attack | Oil and Gas | Al Jazeera
Qatar's main gas facility is among the energy sites targeted by Iran after its own main gas field was hit in an attack by Israel. Gulf nations' ministers have condemned the escalation and called for an end to the conflict.
US Embassy in Riyadh urges Americans to leave Saudi Arabia 'if you can do so safely' - Middle East Monitor
The US Embassy in Riyadh urged American citizens on Thursday to consider leaving Saudi Arabia "if you can do so safely," citing ongoing escalation in the region, Anadolu reports.
IRGC shoots down two hostile drones, hits 80 Israeli targets in new barrage
The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has announced that it has shot down two advanced Israeli drones in the skies over the capital Tehran, and the neighboring province of Alborz, while also targeting 80 Israeli sites in a fresh wave of its retaliatory operation.
According to a statement by the IRGC, its air defense units intercepted and shot down an Israeli Orbiter drone over Tehran at 11:50 p.m. local time (2020 GMT) on Wednesday.
An Israeli Hermes drone was also struck in the skies over Nazarabad County, Alborz Province.
Both unmanned aircraft were armed and were hit before they could carry out any strike against their targets in Iran.
Moreover, a cruise missile was intercepted and brought down by the IRGC's sophisticated air defense systems in Kwin County of Iran's north-central province of Qazvin.
In a separate statement, the IRGC announced that it had carried out retaliatory strikes against military and logistical facilities deep inside the occupied territories.
IRGC forces targeted 80 locations in the southern and central occupied lands, including in Rishon, Letzion, Ramlah in the center, Eilat in the south, Ramat Gan and Bani Barack to the east of Tel Aviv, as well as Bani Yam and Holoun to the south of Tel Aviv.
The designated targets were hit as part of the 63rd wave of Operation True Promise 4, with precision-strike and multi-warhead missiles, as well as kamikaze drones.
Three explosions heard in Tel Aviv after an Iranian missile alert | Middle East Eye
The Israeli army had announced shortly before that it had "identified missiles launched from Iran towards the territory of the State of Israel" and added that the anti-aircraft defence had been activated to intercept them.
According to data published by the Israeli army, the missile launch from Iran, which targeted central Israel, is the sixth towards Israeli territory since midnight.
About half of Iranian missiles fired at Israel since start of war carried cluster munitions - Middle East Monitor
12bytes: The so-called "Iron Dome", even if they have any interceptors left, cannot take down these missiles and some, if not a lot of the remaining missiles being launched are hypersonic missiles which, again, neither the US nor Israel has any defense for. Worse still, all of the radar installations for the "Iron Dome" have been destroyed leaving the US/Israel/Gulf states blind to missiles being launched that they can't intercept anyway.
Israeli data released on Wednesday evening shows that more than 400 out of around 850 missiles launched from Iran towards Israel since the start of the war were equipped with cluster warheads.
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Significant material damage was also reported in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas.
Earlier, Israel's Institute for National Security Studies said that, across 262 attack waves, about 320 missiles penetrated Israeli airspace, along with more than 500 drones. It added that around 50 per cent of the ballistic missiles were estimated to have been fitted with fragmentation munitions.
Key Saudi Refinery On Red Sea Hit As Iran Expands Retaliatory Strikes (Videos) | South Front
Saudi oil giant Aramco's SAMREF refinery in the Red Sea port of Yanbu was targeted in an aerial attack on March 18, as Iran expanded its retaliatory strikes after an American-approved Israeli attack on its largest gas field.
Fire erupts after drone hits second Kuwait oil refinery | Middle East Eye
A fire erupted at a second refinery owned by Kuwait's national oil company after a drone attack, the information ministry said.
"One of the operational units of the Mina Abdullah refinery, belonging to the Kuwait National Petroleum Company (KNPC) was targeted by a drone attack, triggering a fire at the site," the ministry said on X.
The company's other oil refinery, Mina Al-Ahmadi, was also struck by a drone on Thursday, sparking a small blaze.
QatarEnergy Confirms Missile Strikes on LNG Facilities
Qatar's state-owned energy company QatarEnergy has confirmed that several of its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production facilities came under missile attacks in the early hours of Thursday.
Iran arrests 97 people accused of working with Israel, state media reports | Middle East Eye
Iran's intelligence ministry has arrested 97 people for being "soldiers of Israel", state media reported on Thursday, in the latest round of a security sweep that has seen hundreds detained over alleged links to Israel and the US since the start of the war.
Earlier on Thursday, state media quoted the police commander of Alborz province as saying that 41 people were arrested for sending videos to foreign-based opposition media channels.
Gas spirals after Israeli strikes trigger retaliation, Moscow warns of 'tipping point' (PHOTOS, VIDEOS) - RT World News
US President Donald trump has threatened to "massively blow up" Iran's South Pars natural gas field if Tehran continues strikes on Qatari energy facilities. South Pars - shared with Qatar, where it is known as the North Field - is the world's largest natural gas field.
Following Israeli strikes on South Pars, which are known to have upset Trump, Iran launched retaliatory strikes on Qatari energy facilities which according to Doha caused "extensive damage" sending gas prices spiralling.
Trump claimed no further Israeli attacks would target the South Pars field - but warned that the US would destroy "the entirety" of the field if Tehran targets Qatar again.
From 'Epic Fury' to 'Tragic Scurry': The spectacular folly of arrogant miscalculation - Tehran Times
In February 2026, the United States and the Zionist regime, barely eight months after their aggression in June 2025, once again carried out unlawful and hostile attacks against the Islamic Republic of Iran. These actions were undertaken under the pretext of "preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons," despite the well-established fact that all of Iran's nuclear activities and facilities remain fully subject to the monitoring, verification, and safeguards of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
During the recent war, the brave and steadfast Armed Forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran delivered decisive and consequential blows to the American and Israeli side. At the same time, the resolute, unified, and active presence of the great nation of Iran, in support of their country, government and armed forces, imposed even greater political and operational costs for Washington's miscalculations.
Despite these evident failures, American officials have sought, as usual, to advance misleading narratives in an attempt to justify their act of aggression. In a recent statement, the President of the United States asserted that the decision to initiate the war was taken following consultations with several individuals, including Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
The price of independence - US-Israeli war on Iran - Middle East Monitor
It is not only European political leaders who have submitted to the American empire and its erratic emperor, Trump. Established media outlets are also competing to legitimize the US empire's wars, violence, and dismantling of international laws and conventions. With a few exceptions, European leaders condemn Iran's self-defense and its response to the illegal bombings carried out by the US-Israel alliance against the country and the killing of civilians, just as in Gaza.
Regardless of the fact that the Iranian government and the repression it imposes on its own people, the country has now been subjected to a brutal war for the third time since the establishment of the Islamic Republic without the attackers even bothering to legitimize their aggression.
French ambassador: US war on Iran was 'pushed by Israel' - Tehran Times
"This military operation is outside of international law and we cannot endorse it in any way," Hajlaoui said.
"We don't see any justification, any Security Council resolution, or any situation where it is required to move that quickly to this military operation."
The ambassador said that U.S.-Israeli attacks, launched on 28 February, came at a critical moment when Oman-led talks between Washington and Tehran showed signs of progress.
The US Senate has rejected Trump's proposal to restrict military action in Iran - Politico
According to Politico, this initiative was proposed by Cory Booker, a Democratic senator from New Jersey, and aimed to restrict Donald Trump's military powers in Iran in order to prevent further escalation of the conflict. It has failed three times. This time, 47 senators voted in favour and 53 against. Rand Paul of Kentucky was the only Republican to support the resolution. Among the Democrats, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania voted against it.
The Democrats claim that Donald Trump is waging an unconstitutional war and are demanding that Pentagon chief Pete Hegset and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hold public hearings at which they must explain the campaign's aims, objectives and cost. They also plan to disrupt their opponents' agenda until they justify the necessity of the war, the report states.
12bytes: Keep in mind kids, the ONLY reason the dem's are up in arms over this war is because it's not THEIR man in the driver's seat. Both parties play the same retarded games.
Israeli strike targets RT journalist (Impact VIDEO) - RT World News
RT correspondent Steve Sweeney and his cameraman, Ali Rida, have been injured in an Israeli strike while filming in southern Lebanon.
They said an Israeli aircraft fired a missile at their filming position near Al-Qasmiya Bridge, not far from a local military base.
Rida said Israeli forces "deliberately attacked" the crew despite their wearing uniforms displaying their press credentials.
Israeli air raids devastate southern Lebanon, dozens killed in two days | Israel attacks Lebanon News | Al Jazeera
Israeli air raids have killed at least four people in southern Lebanon as dozens were reported killed across the war-battered country over the past two days, on this punishing front of the wider conflict launched by the United States and Israel against Iran that has embroiled the Middle East.
FBI opens investigation into counterterror chief who resigned over Iran war | Middle East Eye
The FBI has opened an investigation into a senior US counterterrorism official who recently quit in protest at the war on Iran, for allegedly leaking classified information.
Joseph Kent resigned from his position as director of the National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) on Tuesday, announcing in a letter to US President Donald Trump posted on X that he "cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran".
"Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby," the 45-year-old veteran and former special forces member wrote.
'Trump has no idea what he's doing': Netizens react to US-Israeli botched war against Iran
As the Israeli-American war against Iran enters its 20th day, there appears to be no exit strategy even as the Iranian retaliatory strikes against enemy targets continue.
Patrick Henningsen: Israel Strikes Iran's LARGEST Gas Field - Iran's MASSIVE RETALIATION Begins
12bytes: If you didn't know, Nima is Iranian and although he doesn't live there, he does visit his homeland and has done so in the last month. He has a very good pulse on what is happening in Iran and how its people are reacting.
Middle East escalation analysis: attack on Iran's South Pars refinery, US-Israel coordination, Iranian retaliation against Gulf energy infrastructure. Examines Strait of Hormuz risks, petrodollar economics, Gulf monarchy vulnerabilities. Covers Axis of Resistance resilience, internal US dissent including high-level resignation protesting war, concerns about wider global conflict. Energy warfare, civilian stakes, and potential paradigm shifts in West Asian security as tensions reach critical juncture. Questions US strategic aims, European involvement, and whether Gulf states can maintain sovereignty amid intensifying proxy warfare and economic pressure. A sobering assessment of the trajectory toward broader regional upheaval.