In MAJOR slap to US, Iran elected NPT VP; Trump reviews new peace proposal (that he'll reject) - IRAN WAR NEWS - 28-Apr-2026 (update 2)

12bytes: Yesterday i took a break from covering the war to write an article based on comments made by Brian Berletic, a former US Marine who posits that many of the previous and ongoing conflicts (Venezuela, Russia, Iran) are stepping stones on a path to a more ambitious goal of the US to strangle China economically. See: The bigger picture: Iran is being used to strangle China.

SPECIAL REPORT: Why the US is at War with Iran and Why the War Might Pause but Won't End

12bytes: This article was written by Brian Berletic who i based my article on yesterday, The bigger picture: Iran is being used to strangle China.

While much discussion of the US war of aggression against Iran has focused on region-specific factors, including the myth that the US is fighting Iran on "behalf of Israel," there are far more realistic and important global factors that have led to the war and will unfold because of it.

The war on Iran is part of a decades-spanning US project to assume complete control over the Middle East and the oil and gas that is produced and exported from the region. This is not as a means of taking the energy for the United States' own use but to establish and enhance a US monopoly over energy production and exports from the US itself and from the nations and regions the US is assuming control over.

This includes most recently Venezuela in Latin America. The early 2026 US war of aggression against the Venezuelan state, kidnapping of the Venezuelan president, and taking hostage of the remaining Venezuelan government led to the almost immediate cutting of Venezuelan oil exports to China and the distribution of Venezuelan oil wealth to US corporations.

[...]

Together with the war on Iran, a clear, global pattern emerges of what is the deliberate US disruption, destruction, and even shutting down of energy exports to Asia in general, but to China specifically.

UPDATE 2

Iran's election as NPT vice president delivers major diplomatic slap to US

Iran has been elected as one of the vice presidents of the 2026 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference at the United Nations headquarters, triggering an angry verbal clash with the US delegation and exposing Washington's deepening isolation on the global stage.

The confrontation erupted during the opening session of the four-week NPT Review Conference on Monday, where the US representative launched into a tirade after Iran's election as one of 34 vice presidents.

Iran was nominated by the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), representing 121 developing nations that strongly support genuine nuclear disarmament and the sovereign right to peaceful nuclear technology.

Handala hacktivists gain access to identities of US Marines in Persian Gulf

The pro-resistance Handala hacking group says it has access to the identities of tens of thousands of "terrorist" US Navy personnel in retaliation for the crimes committed during the US-Israeli aggression against Iran, including the murder of schoolchildren in Minab.

"We have sent a direct message to US Marines via WhatsApp and said: 'Those who thought their identities were hidden, think again; the identities of tens of thousands of US Navy personnel, from operational bases to recreational activities and off-duty patrols, are fully known to us'," Handala said in a statement.

The message added, "We will deal with you terrorists whose hands are stained with the blood of Minab students. We suggest you contact your families right now and say your final goodbyes."

After 60 days of war in Iran, does US Congress want a say? | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

The US Constitution limits a president's war-making powers. A subsequent law passed in 1973 - dubbed the War Powers Act - further codified that presidents must cease military action after 60 days, or receive congressional authorisation to legally continue.

But US presidents have for decades pushed the limits of their war-making authority, at times flouting the 60-day deadline, according to David Janovsky, acting director of the Constitution Project at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO). When that has happened, Congress has regularly shrugged.

Given the federal courts' historical reluctance to weigh in on matters of armed conflict, it remains unclear what the pending deadline will bring.

That threshold will be reached on May 1, which marks 60 days from when US President Donald Trump officially "notified" Congress of the US-Israel attacks on Iran, which began on February 28.

Israeli Army Blew Up Two Deep Hezbollah Tunnel With 450 Tons Of Explosives (Videos)

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on April 28 that it had located and destroyed two Hezbollah tunnels in the town of Qantara in southern Lebanon using 450 tons of explosives.

Boom! United Arab Emirates Exits OPEC: The End Of The Petrodollar And The Rise Of IMEC

History has just been made. The Petrodollar is dead. Asset tokenization will replace the dollar when pricing oil. The IMEC corridor is rebooted with or without the Strait of Hormuz. All of this at the hands of the UAE, the balance of power in the Middle East has shifted. This validates my new book, The New Economics of Technocracy.

On April 28, 2026, the United Arab Emirates announced its withdrawal from OPEC, effective May 1, ending nearly six decades of membership in the oil cartel that has governed global energy markets since 1960. The announcement was brief. The implications are historic. What the UAE did on that date was not merely resign from an organization. It served formal notice that the architecture of global energy commerce - the petrodollar system that has underwritten American financial hegemony since the Nixon era - is being dismantled and replaced.

UPDATE 1

Israel's ongoing genocide in Gaza

• ( Disturbing - NSFL ) Gaza Palestine April 25th 2026 Genocide by Israel
• ( Disturbing - NSFL ) Gaza Palestine April 24th 2026 Genocide by Israel 1
• ( Disturbing - NSFL ) Gaza Palestine Broken Bones April 24th 2026 Genocide by Israel 2
• ( Disturbing - NSFL ) Gaza Palestine Broken Bones April 24th 2026 Genocide by Israel 3
• ( Disturbing - NSFL ) Gaza Palestine Broken Bones April 24th 2026 Genocide by Israel 4

Cracks in Washington as Vance challenges US war claims: Report

US Vice President J. D. Vance is secretly questioning the Pentagon's optimistic narrative of the war on Iran, senior American officials say, as evidence mounts that weapons stockpiles of the United States are dwindling while the Islamic Republic's military capabilities remain largely intact.

In private meetings, Vance has repeatedly challenged the US Defense Department's portrayal of the war of aggression against Iran, raising concerns that the Pentagon is in fact downplaying the severe depletion of US missile reserves, The Atlantic, a Washington-based news outlet, reported on Monday, citing two senior American officials.

Vance 'had no authority' in Iran talks - Tehran delegation member (VIDEO) - RT World News

The US delegation headed by Vice President J.D. Vance lacked decision-making authority during talks with Iran earlier this month, Professor Seyed Mohammad Marandi, who was part of Tehran's negotiating team, has told RT's Sanchez Effect.

Speaking with host Rick Sanchez on Monday, Marandi shared his observations of the April 11-12 negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan.

"Americans did not have the authority in negotiations. Vance did not have the authority to make decisions," Marandi said. "He was constantly on the phone, making a dozen calls, including apparently to [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu."

Pentagon admits 'no defense' against Russian and Chinese hypersonic weapons - RT World News

The United States will struggle to defend itself against advanced missile systems developed by China and Russia, senior Pentagon officials told lawmakers as they called for funding for the proposed Golden Dome missile defense program.

President Donald Trump unveiled the initiative shortly after taking office in January 2025, proposing a large-scale investment - potentially reaching hundreds of billions of dollars over the next decade - to expand ground- and space-based capabilities.

12bytes: The 'Golden Dome' is an imaginary farce designed to make Trump and his buddies richer.

Locations Of US Carrier Strike Groups - April 28, 2026

This is the newest update of the 'U.S. Carrier Strike Groups Locations Map' exclusive series showing the approximate locations of U.S. Carrier Strike Groups. SouthFront: Analysis & Intelligence tracks locations of U.S. aircraft carriers using the available open-source information. No classified information was used in production of the map.

Tehran Times - The South Lebanon death marsh, where Israeli ambitions wither

TEHRAN - The landscape of the confrontation between Hezbollah and Israel has undergone a seismic shift, marking the definitive end of an era. While the fragile ceasefire was initially framed as de-escalation, the reality on the ground has revealed a systematic campaign of Israeli violations that has forced the Resistance's transition into a new, more lethal doctrine.

Hezbollah has officially abandoned its policy of silence toward these breaches, a stance that previously deferred responsibility to the Lebanese government. Today, the Resistance enforces a strike-back equation where Israeli infractions trigger precise kinetic responses against the point of origin.

Hezbollah's Deadly Fiberoptic Tethered Drones Poke Huge Hole in Israel's Defenses

The Lebanese militia's new UAVs have taken its asymmetric warfare capabilities to new heights.$400-500 UAVs built from 3D-printed plastic parts, Soviet RPG grenades and cheap FPV controls linked to spools of commercially-sourced fiberoptic cable are taking on Israeli tanks worth millions.

Israel has attacked eight towns and villages in Lebanon

"Eight settlements have come under attack from enemy aircraft, including one located on the outskirts of the city of Tyre," according to a report by RIA Novosti.

Citing a Lebanese military source, the agency reported that one person was killed as a result of a drone strike in the village of Mansouri.

"The missile was fired at a motorcyclist," the agency's source noted.

Earlier, the Emergency Operations Centre of the Lebanese Ministry of Health reported that the death toll in Lebanon as a result of Israeli attacks between 2 March and 11 April had exceeded two thousand.

IN OTHER NEWS...

A campaign has been launched in Switzerland against the purchase of F-35s from the US

"The 'No to the F-35' civil society organisation has launched a campaign to collect signatures against the purchase of American fighter jets. They consider the aircraft to be 'unsuitable' and too expensive," the article states.

12bytes: The only dingbats that would purchase these semi-flying pieces of junk that spend far more time in the garage than in the air are those getting kickbacks.

END UPDATES

'There Was No Threat to the United States' - Ex-CIA Officer on Iran War

The current US war of aggression against Iran is unjustified, as Iran posed no threat to the US and is placing a growing financial burden on Americans, former CIA officer John Kiriakou told Tucker Carlson.

[...]

"There was no nuclear weapons program," he stressed, shattering the US official narrative.

Algorithm of war: How Palantir became Pentagons indispensable AI arsenal in wars abroad

In the landscape of modern warfare, as military pundits acknowledge, the most dangerous weapon is increasingly not a bullet or a drone, but an algorithm.

Palantir Technologies, a data analytics giant founded with the idealistic goal of "saving the West," has evolved into the central nervous system for US military operations and global surveillance.

We examine the duality of Palantir as a private corporate entity that is deeply embedded in state violence, by looking into its financial relationships (specifically a landmark $10 billion Army contract), its role in algorithmic warfare in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran (Operation Epic Fury), the "dual-use pipeline" that brings military-grade surveillance to domestic policing, and the company's hidden infrastructure alliances with Microsoft and Airbus.

Iran war: What's happening on day 60 as diplomacy gathers pace? | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Saint Petersburg, saying Tehran is considering a US request to resume negotiations. The comments signal cautious movement on diplomacy despite ongoing tensions.

Meanwhile, dozens of countries have called for the "urgent and unimpeded reopening" of the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime route through which one-fifth of global oil passes.

Here is what we know:

In Iran

• Iranian demands over Hormuz: A top Iranian official said his country's armed forces would be the authority responsible for the Strait of Hormuz under a proposed national law for managing the waterway.
• Iran blames US for stalled talks: The Iranian foreign minister blamed Washington for the failure of talks after landing in Russia as part of a whirlwind diplomatic tour, with direct negotiations between the warring parties seemingly at an impasse.
• Iran accuses Washington of 'high seas robbery': Tehran condemned Washington's capture of two Iran-linked oil tankers, the Majestic X and the Tifani, calling it "the outright legalisation of piracy".
• Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei said the move amounted to "armed robbery on the high seas".

War diplomacy

• Iran FM meets Putin: President Vladimir Putin told Iran's Foreign Minister Araghchi that Russia would do everything it could to halt the war, as the two met in Saint Petersburg.
• Envoys' lack of Iran nuclear expertise a 'weakness': Critics say Trump's negotiators, Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and JD Vance, rely more on loyalty and access than diplomatic experience. Former US Ambassador Gordon Gray said their closeness to Trump is an advantage, but warned their lack of familiarity with Iran's nuclear file is a "crucial weakness".

In the Gulf

• Gulf states align with Iran on Hormuz: Gulf nations are likely to welcome Tehran's peace proposal to end the war without negotiating a new nuclear deal, analyst Dania Thafer says. "They have a different ordering of priorities ... and it does align with Iran's proposal of opening the Strait of Hormuz at the front of this negotiation," she told Al Jazeera.
• Dozens urge Hormuz reopening: In a joint statement led by Bahrain, dozens of countries renewed calls for the "urgent and unimpeded opening" of the Strait of Hormuz. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres warned the impasse risks the "worst supply chain disruption since COVID-19 and the war in Ukraine".

In the US

• Trump security meeting: Trump will hold talks on the Iran war on Monday with his top security advisers, US media reported, as negotiations with Tehran remain deadlocked.
• Trump may accept Iran proposal to end war: The US president is likely to back Tehran's plan to ease mounting economic pressure, former US official Henry S Ensher said. "The top of the agenda has to be reopening the Strait of Hormuz," he told Al Jazeera, adding the nuclear issue will be harder to resolve.
• Ensher said Washington may separate nuclear talks from efforts to reopen the vital trade route, calling such a move a potential "strategic victory for Iran" but necessary given the strain on the global economy.
• Vance could become MAGA 'hero' if war ends: JD Vance, the US vice president, could boost his standing if he helps secure a US exit from the Iran conflict, analysts say.
• Republican strategist John Feehery noted that negotiators Kushner and Witkoff are "extraordinarily close to Israel", while Vance's reported appeal to Iran gives him diplomatic weight. "If Vance can get us out of this war, that will ... make him a hero to the MAGA movement," Feehery told Al Jazeera.

In Israel

• Israeli soldier killed: The Israeli army said one of its soldiers was killed "during combat" in southern Lebanon. Israel has been accused of breaching the ceasefire that has been in place since mid-April.
• Netanyahu claims Hezbollah arsenal depleted: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the group has only about 10 percent of its weapons remaining, based on comparisons with stockpiles "at the start of the war", though he did not specify which conflict. Despite the claim, Hezbollah is still believed to possess tens of thousands of rockets, missiles and drones.

In Lebanon

• Israel attacks Lebanon: The Israeli military said it had begun hitting Hezbollah positions in Lebanon's Bekaa region, despite a ceasefire that began this month.
• Hezbollah rejects talks: Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected Lebanon's planned direct talks with Israel, calling them a "grave sin" that will destabilise Lebanon.

Morning update | Middle East Eye

Tensions across the Middle East remain high as military exchanges, economic pressure and diplomatic friction converge around Iran and the wider region.

Fresh clashes along the Israel-Lebanon border, tightening US-led measures targeting Iran's oil trade and warnings over disruption in the Strait of Hormuz point to a volatile start to the day.

Global markets are reacting, with oil prices rising and supply chains showing strain, while diplomatic channels appear uncertain amid competing demands and hardened positions.

Here are the latest updates:

• Russia and Iran pledge to back each other "under any circumstances", defence minister Andrei Belousov has said.
• Iran condemns EU sanctions and US tanker seizures, calling the actions unlawful and an act of "piracy".
• Nuclear diplomacy faces hurdles as the "zero enrichment" demand by the US complicates efforts to restart talks.
• Cross-border violence continues, with Hezbollah launching attacks and reports of Israeli troops being injured in southern Lebanon.
• Strait of Hormuz tensions deepen, with the UN warning that disruption could trigger a global food emergency.
• US pressure intensifies as an Iranian-flagged tanker is stopped and further sanctions threats are issued.
• Iran's oil shipments fall sharply as blockade tightens, raising concerns over global energy supply.
• Brent crude rises above $108 amid escalating regional instability.
• Satellite images show Iranian oil tankers clustering near Chabahar, suggesting continued exports.

Trump reviews Iranian proposal aimed at reopening Strait of Hormuz | US-Israel war on Iran News | Al Jazeera

United States President Donald Trump's national security team is reviewing an Iranian proposal aimed at halting its joint war with Israel, reopening the Strait of Hormuz and delaying negotiations over Tehran's nuclear programme until after the war ends.

The White House confirmed Trump met his national security advisers on Monday to discuss the plan, while US media reports said he was dissatisfied with the proposal because it postpones talks on Iran's nuclear activities.

The Reuters news agency, citing an official briefed on the meeting, said Trump wants the nuclear issue addressed at the start of any negotiations.

Report: Vance blocked alleged Mossad plan involving Kurdish escalation against Iran - Middle East Monitor

US Vice President J. D. Vance rejected a proposal attributed to Israel's intelligence agency Mossad aimed at toppling the leadership in Iran, Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported.

According to the report, the plan-linked to Mossad chief David Barnea-outlined a multi-stage approach beginning with the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and senior figures, followed by installing an alternative leadership aligned with Israeli interests.

The newspaper said a subsequent phase envisioned backing Kurdish movements to advance into Iran, alongside expectations of widespread internal protests.

The report added that Vance, along with senior White House officials, opposed the proposal despite what it described as initial approval by former US President Donald Trump during a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at Mar-a-Lago.

Putin says Russia will support Iran and regional stability to ensure Middle East peace - Middle East Monitor

Speaking during talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi in St. Petersburg, Putin said he had recently received a message from Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

"I would like to ask you to convey my sincere thanks and appreciation," Putin said, adding that Russia intends to maintain and develop its strategic ties with Tehran.

He said the Iranian people are "fighting bravely and heroically for their sovereignty" and expressed hope they would overcome current challenges, with peace prevailing in the country.

Putin stressed that Russia would act in the interests of Iran and the wider region, saying: "We will do everything in our power to serve your interests and the interests of all the peoples of the region, in order to achieve this peace as quickly as possible."

Iran Wants Full Control Over Hormuz

Iran has proposed a deal with the United States to reach an agreement on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and ending the war, while delaying negotiations on Tehran's nuclear program to a later stage, Axios reported on April 27, citing an American official and two sources with knowledge of the details.

Hormuz is the war's invoice-and Washington can't pay it - Middle East Monitor

Closing the Strait of Hormuz is not a side detail. It is the main pressure point. Every day the strait stays shut adds a new layer of cost to the global economy; and the shock travels back to the United States fast. This is not only about the price of oil. It is about a supply-chain squeeze: shipping insurance, freight costs, industrial inputs, petrochemicals, raw materials. Then inflation that lands on American consumers like a delayed war tax.

Washington's mistake was deeper than one bad assumption. It believed military force alone can break political will, that markets will "adjust" on their own, and that a crisis can be managed through statements and threats the way you manage an election campaign.

But the economy does not negotiate with speeches. It reads facts: the passage is closed, risks are up, and costs are piling up.

Rubio Vows More Sanctions on Iran Amid US Blockade

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US has imposed "extraordinary" pressure on Iran with sanctions, but more can still be done.

Iran revises Minab school bombing death toll to 155 | Middle East Eye

The figures include 73 boys and 47 girls killed in the attack, which occurred on the first day of the war on 28 February.

The reports said 26 teachers, seven parents, a school bus driver and a pharmacist also died in the strike.

Alastair Crooke: Iran War Is Now a Global War for World Order

Alastair Crooke discusses how the Iran war has become a war of all-or-nothing: Iran is not going back to crippling sanctions and endless military threats, and it needs to break up the US-led international economic architecture. Time is on the side of Iran, and the US is becoming desperate. Crooke is a former British diplomat and the Founder of Conflicts Forum based in Beirut. He was formerly an advisor on Middle East issues to Javier Solana, the EU Foreign Policy Chief.

Larry Johnson Drops a BOMBSHELL: Generals Just Told Trump to STAND DOWN

Security incident at Washington event raises questions about protocol failures and response. US Middle East deployments focus on resupply amid depleted precision missile stocks; no ground operation indicators. Iran leverages Strait of Hormuz control in negotiations, deepening strategic partnership with Russia while Europe's geopolitical relevance declines. Israel's military limitations exposed in Gaza and Lebanon conflicts. Warning issued of imminent global economic contraction: 20% of world oil and 25% of LNG supplies face disruption. GCC states reassess alliances as US military overextension and supply chain vulnerabilities create new realities. Analysis examines shifting global power dynamics, energy market pressures, and the potential for severe economic consequences if diplomatic solutions fail. Key insight: a major economic "tsunami" may be approaching as critical chokepoints tighten and traditional power structures erode.

Iranian Leaders Are Not Divided... The Trump Administration Is

Over the course of the last two weeks, Donald Trump and his national security sycophants have been parroting the claim that there is chaos among the Iranian political and military leaders and that no one is in charge. This is a lie... and I will shortly explain what I believe is the source of that lie. Here is a sample of what Trump has been saying:

Truth Social post (around April 23-24, 2026): "Iran is having a very hard time figuring out who their leader is! They just don't know! The infighting is between the 'Hardliners,' who have been losing BADLY on the battlefield, and the 'Moderates,' who are not very moderate at all (but gaining respect!), is CRAZY!"

He has described the Iranian government as "seriously fractured" (noting this was "not unexpected"), using it as a reason to extend a ceasefire so Iran could produce a "unified" proposal.

[...]

I believe the source of this "intel" is Israel and I believe that Trump and his advisors genuinely believe it to be true.

IDF LURED INTO SOUTH LEBANON, 'DROWNING' IN AMBUSH ATTACKS | Robert Inlakesh

Israel is continuing its latest attempt at ethnic cleansing in Lebanon, and Hezbollah is more committed than ever to fighting back, carrying out a range of ambush attacks and killing several IDF soldiers in the process.

Independent Journalist Robert Inlakesh noted that Hezbollah is luring the IDF into south Lebanon, and then attacking, as terrain is in their favor. He also pointed out that Israel prefers to fight short, aggressive wars, but the Axis Resistance is no longer allowing that, and Israel has now fallen into the very trap that the late Hezbollah Chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah warned against: getting stuck in Lebanon.

Hezbollah To Resume Suicide Attacks After Decades-Long Halt

A Hezbollah military commander told Al Jazeera on April 27 that the group will use "1980s tactics and activate martyrdom units to prevent the enemy from stabilizing."

Hezbollah has already deployed "large groups of martyrdom operatives in the occupied area according to pre-prepared plans," the unnamed commander said

"The mission of the martyrdom operatives is to engage directly with the enemy's officers and soldiers in the occupied Lebanese villages," he added.

Hezbollah releases drone footage of strike on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon - Yemen Press Agency

BEIRUT, April 28 (YPA) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah) released video footage on Monday documenting a military operation targeting a gathering of soldiers and an evacuation force belonging to the "Israeli" enemy army in the town of Al-Taybeh in southern Lebanon with two attack drones.

Hezbollah's military media released footage providing detailed surveillance of the operations, including:

1-Targeting a gathering of enemy soldiers.

2-Targeting the evacuation force.

3-The moment of impact from the enemy soldiers' camera.

In Video: Hezbollah targets two Israeli Merkava tanks in southern Lebanon - Yemen Press Agency

BEIRUT, April 28 (YPA) - The Islamic Resistance in Lebanon (Hezbollah) released video footage on Monday documenting a military operation targeting two Merkava tanks belonging to the "Israeli" enemy army in in the town of Mays Al-Jabal, southern Lebanon, with an attack drone.

The footage, released by Hezbollah's military media, showed detailed surveillance of tanks before they were directly struck, as part of ongoing operations on the southern front.

Advocacy group says Gaza faces "slow genocide" as famine deepens under Israeli restrictions - Middle East Monitor

Speaking in a televised interview, the commission's head, Salah Abdel-Aati, said the situation has deteriorated sharply, with aid entering Gaza over the past six months not exceeding 40 per cent of residents' needs. "Famine continues to take hold in the Strip," he said.

Abdel-Aati added that Israeli actions have included violations of the ceasefire and the targeting of civilians, stating that 823 people have been killed over the past six months, most of them women and children, with a further 2,280 reported injured.

Professional sabotage against Italian oil pipeline -

A precision sabotage attack on critical energy infrastructure in northern Italy has crippled one of Europe's most important oil pipelines.

The attack forced Germany's largest refineries to empty their reserves to avoid total shutdown. As similar attacks escalate both in Europe and globally, suspicions grow that a coordinated "hidden hand" is deliberately driving a global energy crisis.

12bytes: And what could be the purpose of creating a global energy crisis? The bigger picture: Iran is being used to strangle China.

The oil, gas and arms companies profiting from the war on Iran | Middle East Eye

As the death toll in Iran moves above 3,500 and energy bills rise for UK households, fossil fuel and weapons companies have seen their profits rise dramatically since the war by the US and Israel began two months ago.

The standoff in the Strait of Hormuz has left 1,600 vessels and 20,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf amid a standoff between the US and Iran, as Brent crude tops $107 a barrel.

While hitting the pockets of millions in Europe, Asia and worldwide, the war has created big winners. On Monday, a report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) found that global military expenditure had increased to $2.887 trillion in 2025, the 11th year of consecutive rises.

Recent analysis conducted by climate charity Global Witness for the Guardian found that major oil and gas companies made over $30m an hour in the first month of the war on Iran.

Report reveals scale of damage to US bases in Gulf after Iranian strikes - Middle East Monitor

A report by NBC News says Iranian strikes caused billions of dollars in damage to US military assets and bases across the Gulf region.

Citing informed sources, the network said runways, advanced radar systems, dozens of aircraft, warehouses, command centres, hangars and satellite communications infrastructure were hit in attacks spanning several countries in the Middle East.

The sources said repair costs could reach 5 billion dollars, excluding the cost of fixing radar systems, weapons, aircraft and other equipment that were damaged or destroyed beyond repair.

Camp Buehring base in Kuwait was among the affected sites, with early damage reported to an Iranian F-5 aircraft in the first days of the war. Other impacted locations included Al Dhafra and Al Ruwais bases in the United Arab Emirates, Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan, as well as Kuwaiti storage facilities and ports.

The main US Navy building in Bahrain also sustained extensive damage, with repairs to the Fifth Fleet headquarters alone estimated at around 200 million dollars, in addition to damage to at least two air defence systems.

US bill to grant Americans serving in Israeli army same rights as US troops - Middle East Monitor

US lawmakers push to grant American soldiers serving in the Israeli army the same legal protections as US troops, in a move without precedent for any other foreign army. The bill would place some 20,000 dual citizens fighting for Israel on a legal par with Americans serving the US.