PART 3 ANTI-ANTI-NAZI BARBARIAN HORDES ARE KNOCKING DOWN THE

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Iran Wreaks Havoc On U.S. Military Bases Across West Asia w/ Dimitri Lascaris
Reason2Resist with Dimitri Lascaris
Jul 19, 2026

Following massive Iranian attacks on U.S. military bases in Jordan, the U.S. military was forced to admit that Iranian missile and drone strikes had killed and wounded U.S. military personnel.

As more and more information emerged, it became clear that U.S. military leaders were hiding the true extent of U.S. casualties.

In his latest Iran war update, Dimitri Lascaris explains that Iran's missile and drone strikes are wreaking havoc at U.S. military bases across West Asia.



Transcript

Good day. This is Demetri Lceris coming to you for Reason to Resist from Montreal, Canada on July 19th, 2026.
In response to the US military's murderous attacks on uh Iran and Iranian civilians, Iran's military is wreaking
havoc at US military bases throughout the region of West Asia and especially in Jordan. I'll share with you today
powerful video, photographic, and satellite evidence of the devastation Iran's military is inflicting on these
American bases and on key infrastructure in the Washington backed Arab autotocracies.
Uh but before we begin, please remember to like and share this video if you find it to be informative and please become a subscriber. Two reason to resist if you
are not already a subscriber. Help us please to expand the reach of our unapologetic on the ground resistance journalism. Now, before I turn to Iran's
ongoing demolition of US military bases in West Asia, I want to update you on
the crimes uh committed uh by uh the child killing US military uh in the
Islamic Republic. This morning, Press TV published uh this is the state broadcaster of Iran published um an
update on the casualties in the country since uh the latest round of aggression began.
And here you can see that the number of martyed persons uh in the recent US terror aggression has risen to 57 and
over 517 have been injured. And uh one of the more notorious atrocities carried out by
the United States, not just in the last few days, but during the course of this war, is that it has struck and severely
damaged this uh water desalination facility on the southern coast of Iran in an area called Jasque. And uh you
will uh uh you will be interested to know that this apparently provides drinking water to some 30 villages in
the uh south of the country. According to Jas's parliamentary representative whose name is Ibrahimi.
Uh the facilities are responsible for supplying water to the west of Jas. uh and this incident has caused a
disruption in the water supply of approximately 30 villages in this area.
Now uh there is payback for this uh and the recipient of that payback is thus far Kuwait uh but I'm going to come back
to that a little later. Uh the US terrorist forces have also destroyed or
severely damaged uh several bridges in southern Iran. And here I'll show you a clip from uh an Iranian media report on one of the bridge strikes.
And there you can see uh behind uh the commentator that uh uh a quite uh severe blow has been delivered to that bridge.
Uh this would be uh heading I believe uh from the north of the country down into uh the straight of Hormuz and the
all-important Iranian port city of Bandar Ababas where I was uh in March of
this year. Now uh in some cases uh the uh the Iranian military has been able to
effect or Iranian civilian authorities I should say uh a workaround. Here is one instance where they used a dry riverbed
uh to keep the traffic flowing after a bridge in the area had been taken out.
It's time.
Now uh some of these bridge attacks have killed innocent civilians. Uh there uh was a death toll of seven citizens,
Iranian citizens, including two students uh when the murderous US military
attacked a bridge uh near or in Kammer City in Horn Morosan uh province. Again, that's uh on the uh straight that province lies on the street of Hormuz.
And Iranian authorities published photographs of two of the victims. Uh these are uh female students uh named
Sand Dared and Fatim Mazaraka Akbari. Uh they were martyed in the strike on the uh Cammer bridge.
Now in related news, uh Sky News of all media organizations has published the results of a month-slong investigation.
It says it is conducted into the uh mass murder of students and school teachers by the US military at Minab in the south
of Iran on the very first day of this uh war of aggression, February 28th of this year.
And uh I'll just show you a summary here from resistance uh telegram channels of the Sky News report or investigation. Uh
they say Sky News that three missiles hit the school at 2:30 p.m. on February 28, after the initial 1122
trike. They were tomahawks uh that hit the school. Targeting was designed to be as devastating as possible, precisely striking the very center of the school.
The USS Spruent destroyer part of the Lincoln strike group fired the tomahawk Tom tomahawks from the Arabian Arabian
Sea 716 kilometers from Minab. The commanders of that vessel should be uh you know charged with war crimes and
tried before the Hague for their murderous depravity. But continuing here uh Iranian media had been reporting on the attack nearly an hour before the
2:30 p.m. US follow-up attack. So this was as we have reported uh a double tap strike. So you hit it once, people show
up, parents uh emergency workers trying to save the victims of the first strike and uh you
end up uh killing and wounding uh the purpose the persons who have come to the site to save their loved ones or uh
members of the community. Now, the US, according to Sky News, had ample evidence that the site was a school and
no longer part of the neighboring military compound since at least 2015. I don't know what neighboring military
compound they're talking about. The uh school sits on what was once a military compound, and it's absolutely crystal
clear to anybody who even uh peruses the uh site uh that it is no longer a military compound. When they say
neighboring military compound, Sky News seems to be suggesting there's something right next door uh which is a military
facility. Well, I walked around uh the site of the Minab School and I didn't see anything that looked like a military
facility, something that is actually currently being used for military purposes. Uh, and then lastly here in
the summary of the Sky News report, the Pentagon had access to even commercialgrade satellite data so detailed it could determine there were children in the school's courtyard based on the length of their shadows.
Now, uh, I published the results of, uh, reason to resist investigation back in
March uh, about four weeks after this atrocity was committed. Uh and that investigation
uh resulted from my personal inspection of the entire site along with uh uh Tim Anderson of Australia and Ahmed uh the
host of Propaganda and Co. who uh hails from the United States. We were the first foreign journalist to conduct a thorough investigation of the entire
site, not just the actual school building, which was demolished, but several other buildings uh that were
part of this former military compound and that were also destroyed or severely damaged. We went through all of that uh
and to satisfy ourselves that there was no evidence that this site was being used for any military purpose. And uh we
published that result back uh that investigate investigative report back in March as I say. So I really am at a loss
to understand why it took the western corporate media so long to come to the conclusions uh that uh Sky News has
reached. Uh it was absolutely crystal clear to us then as we explained uh in our report that the United States
military must have known that this site did not serve any military purpose and that it was a school uh for young
children. Uh if they can uh uh determine the whereabouts of the supreme leader and murder him and his family as they
did on that same day uh then they could easily have ascertained that this was a school. My belief is that they knew it
was a school. They intended to murder those children. The message being sent to the Adanian people that if you do not capitulate, we will massacre your
children. And why would anybody be surprised that the US would behave this way after what we have witnessed in Gaza
uh during uh the past nearly three years of genocide? The mass murder and torture and starvation of burning alive and
crushing under the rubble of Palestinian children in the tens of thousands uh much of it being done with US munitions
and US protection. So, uh, really nobody should, uh, doubt for one second that the Trump regime and the leadership in
the US military are capable of such a thing. Uh, so in any case, I'm going to put a link to our MNAB school investigative report in the description
to this video. Uh, we we have extensive footage of the site and uh, uh, also
commentary from locals uh, to back up our own findings. Uh if you're interested in uh seeing how obvious it
was that this was a school uh meaning that uh very likely the US intended to kill those children uh you can watch our
report from March of this year. Um now I uh want to just point out one other thing about the Minab school atrocity.
Trump uh continues to get asked about this from time to time and he uh he
doesn't accept any responsibility. He tries to cast doubt on whether the US military actually destroyed the school.
He blathers on about some investigation being ongoing. Uh why this investigation hasn't been concluded again. Uh there's
really no good reason for that. They've had plenty of time to determine what happened here. uh and uh he also seems
to suggest in recent commentary that this is old news and therefore people should stop asking about it. I wonder uh
if he'd say the same thing if you know four months ago or 5 months ago uh 168
American students and uh and teachers had been wiped out in the destruction of
a school on US soil by some uh foreign enemy of the United States. would he consider that to be old news and
unworthy of further investigation and reporting by the uh the media? Uh we all know the answer to that question.
Now uh in light of all of this, it is uh with good reason that uh Iran's supreme
leader continues to refer to the United States uh government as the great Satan.
Uh the current supreme leader of Iran, Sed Mushtaba Khamei, published a message within the past . Uh this was
translated on uh on Tasnim uh the uh Iranian news agency, its telegram
channel. Today, the great Satan has once again revealed its true unmasked face, so that this dark experience of criminality and broken provinces may
serve as yet another firm testament to America's dishonesty, irrationality, untrustworthiness, and wickedness. Now
that the US enemy seeks to fuel further war, bear even heavier costs, and suffer greater disgrace, it should know that the beloved Iranian nation and the resistance front have unforgettable
lessons in store for it. The valor of the fighters of Islam and the courage and honor of the brave people of Iran's southern regions in recent days have
provided examples of those lessons. And uh this type of uh language I think uh
really uh drives home that uh the leadership of Iran certainly the supreme leader has absolutely no confidence in
this treacherous and perfidious uh Trump regime. And uh that is going to spell real trouble for the prospects of any
negotiated peace. Uh Trump has proven himself to be a con man and a cheater so many times now in his direct dealings
with Iran that uh I don't know how uh any Iranian leader in good conscience could return to the negotiating table
unless and until the United States economy is screaming in pain and is literally on its knees. uh until such
time as uh the uh Iranian government and people have delivered grievous blows to
the US economy and military and I don't think we're quite there yet despite the extensive damage they've done uh they've managed to do against all odds until
that happens uh there will not be uh in my view uh real deterrence established visa v the United States aggression uh
so uh I suspect that uh that is now the consensus view amongst the Iranian leadership but uh time will tell there
is going to come a moment sometime in the next few days or weeks maybe it'll take longer than that when Trump is
going to uh beg for a return to the table uh and he'll try to do that I believe before the economic situation in
the United States becomes completely dire uh and uh I would hope that the leadership of Iran this time will uh not
uh give the United States a resppite uh until it has paid a sufficiently severe price uh to be deterred from attacking
Iran again. Now related to all of this uh there were there was a formal acknowledgement by uh the Iranian
leadership this is the deputy foreign minister Mr. Gibbadi stating to the media that uh Iran has
suspended its commitments under the Islamabad memorandum of understanding.
The US has violated and suspended all of its commitments. We have also suspended our commitments and not currently implementing them and are focused on
defending the country. I find it interesting uh that uh this high-ranking uh uh official uses the word suspend. He
didn't say terminate. He says suspend which implies uh that uh under certain circumstances the Iranian government
might be willing to revive theou and to comply with its terms. Uh again uh I would suggest that that uh shouldn't
happen unless and until the United States has paid a very severe price for its ongoing criminal aggression against Iran. Uh you'll see also here at the
bottom of this screenshot uh a a quite ominous warning uh issued by an Iranian security official. Quote, "If the US
attacks Iran civilian infrastructure, Dubai and the Abu Dhabi airports uh as well as the ports of Fuja and
Jabel Ali must be evacuated immediately." This was reported by the Fars Iranian news agency. Uh this is of
course uh uh we're talking here about the major infrastructure of the United Arab Emirates which as I've said many
times and explained is little more than a Mossad operation masquerading as a country. Uh and uh it clearly the
Iranians are going to uh place uh the UAE at the top of its hit list if
uh the there are large-scale attacks on Iranian civilian infrastructure.
Now uh let's turn then to the Iranian retaliation uh for the latest round of aggression by the Trump regime. Sentcom
has just announced uh that uh several US soldiers have been killed and gone missing uh in uh or as a result of
attacks on US military fa uh facilities in Jordan. And here is the statement by
Sentcom issued uh I believe it was uh July 17th. So that would been two days ago. Two US service members in Jordan
were killed in action as US Central Command and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing in action.
Uh not to be crude about it, but uh I would suggest that the likely explanation for that is that that missing service member has been
obliterated by an Iranian ballistic missile. The statement goes on and says, "Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian
hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty. Out of respect for the
family, Sentcom will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors until after the next of kin
have been notified. Notice it doesn't state the statement at which of the many US military bases in Jordan uh this uh
uh these deaths uh were sustained. Uh also uh the claim that the uh you know
the the assertion that these four uh medically evacuated uh soldiers were discharged uh within apparently. You
shouldn't attach a lot of weight to that because there has been reporting that uh you know the US government was releasing
severely injured soldiers from medical facilities. They were technically discharged but uh they uh had not uh
meaningfully returned to duty. They had been given some kind of assignment which didn't involve them engaging in any meaningful physical activity and uh that
enabled the US government to claim with a straight face uh not only that they had been discharged but they had been returned to duty. Now I'm going to uh
share more information on this uh in a few minutes. uh you'll see that there is a there are very powerful reasons to
doubt what we are being told by Sentcom about uh this attack.
Now uh before I get into uh the subsequent revelations about the uh casualties sustained, I
want to show you uh some video of uh this attack. This is a close-up video shot by a US soldier at the uh the base
in question at the moment of the ballistic missile strikes.
Now I'm going to show you that again. Uh you'll see obviously there were two uh ballistic missile strikes uh in this
short video which is only about s long. And uh just focus on the first incoming. You can see that one
actually coming down and there is no apparent uh attempt to take it down. We
can't see any interceptors in the sky uh nor do we see any launches from air defense systems at ground level as the
missile is incoming. So uh uh there's no evidence in this video that there was any attempt made uh to take down either
of those two ballistic missiles. Uh but uh one thing's for damn sure, if there were an attempt made, it was uh wholly
unsuccessful. So watch again as the first missile comes down with no interceptors uh visible around it.
Now, uh we don't know what happened to the soldier who shot that video. Uh but given his apparent proximity or her
apparent proximity to uh the blast site, uh it is entirely possible that that person has at bare minimum sustained a
traumatic uh brain injury. Certainly other soldiers, many I would think uh uh did sustain such injuries in this
strike. Now, here's another video of uh an Iranian missile attack on soldiers dormitories
at the US Muak al-Salti air base in Jordan.
Let's watch that again. That is quite a powerful explosion.
Now, you can imagine uh that strike alone would have caused very considerable casualties if there uh were
military personnel in or near uh the dormitories that were struck. Uh, and here's uh yet more video showing two
huge plumes of smoke rising from a US base in Jordan.
It doesn't look like those uh fires are going to be put out anytime soon. And uh we have even more video of the pounding
uh that US bases in Jordan have are are taking. Here's another one.
Now, um, satellite imagery has emerged, uh, confirming that following Iran's attack on the American base in in
Jordan, uh, which, as we know caused a number of casualties,
uh, the, uh, the Iranians in the course of that attack also managed to destroy a fighter training hanger. And I'm going to show you uh, the satellite image now.
You can see uh in the upper right hand corner uh the building. It has a black arrow drawn across it. Uh the uh fighter
training center hanger which was destroyed. And then in the upper leftand corner you can see the aftermath of the
strike. Uh it is essentially demolished completely useless. And down uh in the
lower half uh you get a closer view of the uh wreckage of that hanger. It also
appears to me looking at the photograph in the lower half uh that the hanger to the immediate left of the one that was
completely destroyed has suffered serious damage. It looks like the wall uh that is nearest to the uh destroyed
hanger uh has been uh entirely blasted out. Uh and you can see uh you know in
the hangar facility to the left of the one that's totally destroyed that the roof there's severe damage and it looks like there's still uh some fire inside
of that other damaged hanger uh that has yet to be put out. Uh so that uh looks like a very uh effective strike and
remember you know this is quite some distance from Iran uh and uh the precision with which the Iranian
military is striking uh these uh military facilities these essential military facilities of the United States in this region is really quite
impressive. And I think increasingly uh the uh Iranians are uh uh they're
constantly improving their precision and also uh learning more and more about how to evade the already poorest air defense
systems and uh highly depleted uh air defense systems of the United States. So
uh now I want to turn to uh the further details that have emerged about the casualties the US has sustained in Jordan. And just for context, I'm going
to show you a map published by Sentcom of uh US military bases in what they
call the Hashmite Kingdom. Again, another fake country that was established for no other purpose than to maintain western hijgemony over this
region. Um, and you'll see that uh there are a number of military bases in
Jordan. uh bid as zaraka. Uh it looks like they have uh military personnel in Aman. Uh and by the way, when I was in
Aman uh last year, I believe it was, I stayed in a hotel and there were all kinds of soldiers from Western countries
there, uniform soldiers staying in my hotel. Uh uh there were Belgian soldiers, there were Dutch soldiers, uh
there were Italian soldiers. It was like a pop puri of NATO uh in uh Aman. Uh so huge western military presence there.
And then you can see south of Aman there's al- karak then man. Then they appear to have a military base on the
border of Jordan and Saudi Arabia. The Americans called Jabalum Adami. And in uh the strategically important uh Red
Sea port of Alakaba uh they have a military presence there as well. Looking at this map uh two
things strike me. First of all, it looks like the Americans have basically established the American military a wall of military bases uh protecting
uh the uh eastern flank of the genocidal Israeli entity. Uh why else would they
all be lined up there along the Jordan River if not uh to uh provide additional
protection uh to uh this uh satanic regime. Um and uh the other thing that
strikes me about this map is that it doesn't make any reference uh to the air base that appears to have
been targeted most effectively in these strikes. uh and that is this air base,
the Mufawak Salty Air Base, which uh lies uh to the east of Aman. That does
not appear on the Sententcom map. This map that you're now looking at is one that I uh uh I found uh from a
commercial map provider. It is not a military map. Uh and uh why the uh
Sentcom didn't include that in its map of US uh military facilities in Jordan, I don't know. Uh but uh you can be sure
that the uh Mufawak Salty Air Base does exist and it is an important military facility for the United States, not just
in Jordan, but in the entire region. And it has been playing uh by all indications a critically important role
in this criminal war of aggression on Iran. So, let's turn then to what we have learned subsequent to the Sententcom admission of casualties at this air base.
Uh what we've learned uh thanks to the New York Times uh is that uh the casualties are likely to be larger. Uh
this t this article published uh within the past is titled Jordan is becoming a new focus in the US Iran war.
Four Iranian attacks in five days have targeted US troops in Jordan, US officials said, including one on Friday that killed two soldiers and left
another service member missing. And the article goes on uh this article was published yesterday
to say that the attack that killed two US soldiers and left one service member missing on Friday was the fourth in five days. Taken together, the attacks have
wounded dozens of US service members and damaged a number of helicopters. The flurry of attacks and the losses they have caused are a sign that Iranian
forces not only still have ample missile stocks, but have also become more adept at evading US air defense systems, said US officials who were speaking on
condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters. Jordan, which hosts major US air bases, grew in importance in the run-up to the early in in the
early days of the war as the Pentagon shifted a number of troops from Badain, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar to relatively more secure locations in
Jordan and Israel. The country's role in US operations has only increased as other American allies in the region have restricted Washington's ability to base
troops in and fly aircraft over their territory. As the US officials said uh what they uh are not saying is that uh
the forces have gone moved further away from Iran uh and have become increasingly concentrated in Jordan and
Israel because the United States is incapable of protecting its military bases in the Persian Gulf. uh as you're
going to see uh we've already provided plenty of evidence of their vulnerability and you're going to see some more indication of that when I show
you uh various uh uh footage of Kuwait and what is being done uh to that fake
country by the Iranian military. In any case, this article goes on and says in early July, Iran widened its attacks in the region, including Jordan for the
first time since Tadan and Washington signed a ceasefire agreement in June.
US officials offered a recounting of the last five days, which the Pentagon has not yet discussed in detail publicly.
The first attack to hit US forces in Jordan struck a residential facility at King Fisel Air Base, wounding as many as five US service members. The second hit
a base in eastern Jordan where US Blackhawk helicopters were operating from, damaging a significant number of them.
Then ago, Iranian missiles hit Jordan's Mu Muafak Salty Air Base in Azak, which is the same base where the
troops were killed on Friday. The earlier strike wounded about 20 US troops rushing to take cover in bunkers.
No one was killed in that barrage. But on Friday, when the Iranians struck the base again, two US troops were killed and four other service members were injured. Other personnel were evaluated for minor injuries and returned to duty.
The Pentagon declined to comment. On Friday, the Iranian Army said it had launched a drone attack targeting fuel tanks at the US base in Azarak. The IRGC
also said it had used missiles and drones to target aircraft shelters at the base, according to FAR's news agency. And we've just showed you uh
satellite imagery uh published by uh the Adanian military, which uh appears very much to confirm the destruction of uh uh aircraft shelters.
So uh this is uh I would imagine quite alarming to the Americans. Not only are they incapable of, at least if they're
thinking rationally, they would be alarmed. Not only are they incapable of protecting their military bases and the key infrastructure of uh Washington's uh
33 minutesGulf vassels uh in the Persian Gulf, which is much closer to Iran than Jordan. uh but they can't even protect
their military personnel and military assets in Jordan itself which is of course right next to that genocidal
pipsqueak Israel. Uh now a couple of other details I want to share with you about uh the casualties in Jordan. Uh
first of all according to the Wall Street Journal which reported separately on this both manned and unmanned aircraft were hit in the attack on this
air base in Jordan. So the uh New York Times talked only about uh Blackhawk helicopters. Those are manned aircraft.
Uh but apparently there were also unmanned drones uh that were struck. Uh but we don't have the detail of the
extent of damage there. And finally uh want to share with you the uh a summary
of a report by some uh journalist who works for Naval News in the United States. His name is C. Johnston.
and uh and he says he reported on X that two were killed. 15 uh of these soldiers had
life-threatening severe injuries being airlifted to Germany. Uh that was not uh disclosed in the Sencom statement. Three
to five on board that Medevac who will probably not make it to Germany alive. That's how severe their injuries are.
dozens of minor injuries and took troops who took shrapnel and debris, more traumatic brain injuries than anyone currently knows. And my understanding of
that type of injury is that it can take quite some time for the uh the injury to manifest itself. Uh but uh uh so we may
not know and the US authorities may not know just how many traumatic brain injuries were sustained at that base uh for some time to come.
I talk to you about uh some of the more devastating strikes in the Persian Gulf uh the bases that are closer to Idan uh
than the Jordanian bases. Uh I just want to comment on the significance of these casualties. The uh United States uh uh
the military personnel of the United States who are in the region and there are now uh according to public statements by the US military somewhere
in the range of 50,000 soldiers in the region. uh they must be deeply concerned about the ability of the air defense uh
systems of the United States to protect them uh if they can't even feel safe in a country as far away from Iran as uh
Jordan is. And as I mentioned uh we didn't see any evidence of even attempted interceptions of uh those two
incoming missiles uh that did so much damage and killed soldiers at that base.
Uh the United States military uh has not been fighting wars in a way that uh result in significant casualties for
quite some time. Uh its tendency is to bomb uh shell uh targets from a safe
distance and uh to uh avoid direct contact uh with uh armed enemies on the
ground. And uh therefore, and this is probably uh a decision that was made in the aftermath of the Vietnam War when
something in the range of 58,000 Americans uh laid down their lives in that uh criminal war of aggression. And
um uh since then uh that obviously was quite a traumatic experience for American society. Uh we saw the evidence
of that in the massive Vietnam era uh protests. Uh and so the United States uh military ever since then and the
political lead of the United States have uh conducted wars against countries that uh cannot defend themselves from aerial
attack and uh and that's been the primary means by which the United States has waged war. So for its uh soldiers to
be on the receiving end of aerial attacks and to be killed and wounded is uh an unusual experience for US military
personnel to put it mildly. And uh I can't imagine that this news is going to do anything other than further erode
their morale. And keep bear in mind uh that they're not only uh failing to uh
bring it on to heal uh but in addition they're operating in very challenging circumstances. It is extremely hot in
West Asia right now. Uh the type of heat that is life-threatening. Uh so having to uh conduct any kind of military
operation in that environment is already quite a challenge. Uh the the Trump regime has not articulated any kind of a
persuasive rationale for this criminal war. Uh so as as casualties mount, you
can expect two things. First uh the uh Trump regime will do everything it can to conceal them. And secondly, uh the
American public will become increasingly irate about this war which is already opposed by a huge majority of Americans.
So then let's move on then and talk about uh what other strikes have taken place within the last , Iranian
strikes. Uh first I want to show you a video published by the IRGC of uh its latest launches of missiles at targets in West Asia.
So, uh, that's enough of a clip. to give you a flavor of uh uh the video. But in any case, you'll see there they were not
only launching uh ballistic missiles, they were also launching uh jet powered drones. Uh and by the way, you may be
wondering how many of these ballistic missiles do the Iranians currently have.
Well, there's a report that uh during the negotiations in Islamabad, the foreign minister of Iran told the
Pakistani mediators that Iran had approximately 15,000 missiles left in
its arsenal. I have no way of knowing whether that number is accurate or not, but given that Iran was preparing for this war for decades and uh relies so
heavily on its ballistic missiles uh to deter attacks on the country, I think that that's a number that is entirely plausible. It may or may not be
accurate. Uh but it is uh indeed plausible. And if that's the case, uh the United States and Israel and
Washington's vassels in the region have only tasted uh the full destructive power of uh the Iranian uh missile
forces and drone forces. Now, let's talk then about uh current recent developments in Kuwait. And I'm going to
start by showing you uh a map of this tiny little fake country. You can see uh
that Iran lies uh very close uh to the border of Kuwait. There's a little
sliver of Iraqi territory that separates Iran from Kuwait. And what you see here in this map are the acknowledged
military bases of the United States. In Kuwait, it's basically jam-packed with uh US military facilities. And for some
41 minutesinsane reason, the corrupt and brutal autocrats who rule Kuwait are allowing US forces to fire missiles uh from their
territory into Iran. Uh and there was in fact a highar missile launcher, at least one, that was destroyed within the last
few days by the Iranian military in Kuwait. Uh now for some reason uh the Kuwaitis whenever Iran retaliates by
striking uh their uh military facilities or that those of the United States on their territory, they whine. They whine
incessantly and even go so far as to invoke international law and they're invariably backed up by Western
governments who whine right along with them. Uh but if they don't want to be attacked by Iran, there's a very simple
uh way to avoid that and that is to tell the American occupier to get the hell out and uh preclude it from using
Kuwaiti territory or airspace to launch any kind of attacks on the Islamic Republic. Uh but apparently the Kuwaitis
are quite happy to make themselves uh a prime target for Iranian retaliation. Uh at least the Kuwaiti
leadership. I doubt that that's true of the Kuwaiti people. Now, um Fox News is
reporting significant damage to Kuwaiti oil facilities. And here's a clip from a report that it just published.
And uh as you'll see, thick smoke uh billowed from the facility after officials announced that Kuwait's oil facilities had been hit by repeated
Iranian attacks. The Kuwait oil company announced that the attack caused significant damage while Iran is expanding its attacks across the Persian
Gulf. And we also have uh satellite imagery uh pertaining to uh this attack
43 minuteson Kuwaiti oil facilities. Here you can see uh this was published uh by the Iranian military. Uh the Iran Iran
struck the KNPC North Pier which exports crude oil in Kuwait. Uh the facility is on fire as you can see in the satellite
image and its smoke is visible uh in that image. Uh so this is going to have
of course impacts on the price of oil even if the street of Hormuz were to be opened anytime soon and I'm going to mention developments there in a moment.
Um the capacity of these uh Gulf autotocracies to uh produce and export
oil has been severely degraded over the course of this war and it's going to take months if not years to restore it
uh to pre-war levels. So, uh, getting, uh, you know, the oil market into an equilibrium, uh, the kind of supplies
that were available back, uh, before this criminal war of aggression was launched, uh, it's it's it's going to involve a lot more than simply opening up the straight of Hammoo. That in and
of itself, uh, is something that's not likely to happen anytime soon.
Now, uh, resistance channels have, uh, published videos of damage as well to US military, uh, bases in Kuwait. Here's a
video of a strike on what is reported to be a, uh, military training center, the aftermath of the strike.
You can see there are two holes in the roof. unclear whether uh these were missiles or drones. I would imagine because the the building wasn't entirely
demolished that these were drones and not missiles. But let's look at this again.
immediate aftermath of a strike on a US uh military base in Kuwait.
Now, the Kuwaiti regime also reports that an electricity and water desalination plant situated in the fake country was struck twice in the past two
days. This is uh Tasnim News, the Iranian news agency summarizing the Kuwaiti uh Ministry of Electricity's announcement.
uh it stated that an electricity generation and water dalination plant was attacked and caught fire for the second time in the last two days. The ministry emphasized that a large number
of production units of this power plant were affected and were taken out of operation. Uh, so this I I would imagine
is a warning not just to Kuwait but to all of the Gulf autotocracies who rely so extensively on water desalination
uh that there will be a price for them to be paid uh if these attacks on uh the
uh Iranian infrastructure and its own desalination plants uh continue. Now um
as I commented yesterday on X uh the Gulf autotocracies are far more vulnerable uh than Iran would be if
there is a wholesale campaign of destruction directed at water uh desalination facilities in the region
and uh the reason is as follows as I noted on X the uh percentage of drinking water from dissalination in Bahin 100%
in Qatar 99% in Kuwait 90% % Oman 86% Saudi Arab Arabia 70% and the UAE 42%.
In Iran it's 3%. Uh and if you've been to the country and traveled across it as I have uh you would understand why the
Iran Iranians have a lot more uh water available uh naturally uh occurring and
available water than any of the Gulf autotocracies. There are no permanent river rivers in the Gulf in uh the uh the Gulf autotocracies. None whatsoever.
Uh there are at most a few intermittent rivers and uh therefore they are enormously uh reliant on desalination and it's no
exaggeration to say that if Iran decides to uh destroy their major water desalination plants that uh these
countries are going to become largely uninhabitable. that will not happen to Iran even if all of its water uh desalination plants are destroyed.
Now I also want to talk to you about another prime target of the Iranian military before closing up my report.
These are the Kurdish separatist allies of Washington in northern Iraq. Uh here is a video uh reportedly of a strike on
the headquarters of uh Kurdish separatist groups in Edabil.
And here's a video of another uh the aftermath of another strike on uh Kurdish uh separatist facilities in northern Iraq.
Actually, that's not the aftermath.
That's the strike itself. As you can see, an Iranian suicide drone coming down. There's no indication in this video again of any attempt to take that
drone down. Even though you could hear it coming in, it's not like it uh swept in there stealthily. Uh where are the
attempts to intercept this incoming suicide drone? Let's watch it again.
So, uh, I want to just comment here that, uh, you know, the Trump regime has put a target on the back of the Kurdish
separatists in Iraq because it openly, uh, mused about using them to conduct a
ground invasion into Iran. Uh so naturally when these genocidal child murdering maniacs in Washington are
telling you that they're going to use Kurdish separatists in Iraq as a proxy army, the Iranians are going to attack those people uh those uh Kurdish
separatists in order to prevent uh any kind of an invasion into Iran or at least make it much more difficult for
them to carry it out. But Trump doesn't care about the Kurds. He never cared about the Kurds. Nor did the Israelis.
uh they cynically use them and for some reason there is an element within the Kurdish population in the region uh sadly that allows itself to be exploited
uh and used as cannon fodder again and again by the United States and Israel.
Hopefully uh this war will bring an end uh to that tendency. Uh and of course I'm not talking here about all Kurdish uh persons of course but there's
significant number of them who have up until now been quite happy to ally themselves with Washington and Israel in
their criminal projects uh throughout the region.
And finally I want to comment on some other uh important uh news relating to the war on Adan. And that is first of
all that yet again some uh complicit vessels sought to transit through the straight of Hormuz without the uh
consent uh of the Iranian military. And here is a statement put out by the Iranian military describing what happened. Uh they say the IRGC that two
offending ships had an accident. Uh, I think that's tongue and cheek. Uh, the term accident on the unsafe route of the
straight of Hormuz and two other ships were discouraged from continuing on the unsafe route. Hours ago, four offending ships with the mischief and support of
American terrorists and by turning off the navigation systems and ignoring the warnings of the IRGC's straight of Hormuz control base intended to disrupt
and exit the straight of Hormuz from the untrustworthy route. Two of them had an accident stopped in place and the other two refused to continue on their way.
IRGC Navy declares that the control of the straight of Hormuz is under the full control of this force and the only safe passage is the specified and declared
route and as stated before a drop of oil, gas and chemical fertilizer will not pass through the straight of Hormuz without coordination and permission. And
of course uh the uh Iranian military has declared the straight of Hormuz closed.
Although uh I imagine that some friendly vessels and Iranian vessels uh can get through a smattering of them uh with the
uh author uh with the consent of the Iranian military. Uh, another interesting piece of news is that uh the
Iranian military has reportedly targeted artificial intelligence centers in the
region. Uh, and this would be the Batelo and Bahrain artificial intelligence center. The IRGC stated uh that recent
operations in Bahrain indicate a change in targeting from traditional military bases to data processing artificial intelligence centers. The attack on the
main artificial intelligence center Shapada depot and Batakaco data center showed that the technological infrastructure is the main pillar of the
American surveillance networks in the Persian Gulf and damage to these centers actually disrupts the decision-making power of enemy's autonomous military
machines and equipment. The importance of these centers lies in their ability to process big data collected from mobile sensors and satellites.
Artificial intelligence algorithms based on these sites are responsible for real-time analysis of images and radars to identify and track targets.
Therefore, with the destruction of these data centers, the enemy's sensor to fire integrated network suffers from
technical and operational defects and its environmental awareness ability is greatly reduced. Uh another uh
significant development is that Iran took down within the past uh yet one more MQ9 Reaper drone which each
of which costs I think in the range of about $32 million. And here is uh a video published by the Iranian military of the destruction of one of these drones.
You can see there you can see there at the very end of that video clip uh some of the wreckage.
Uh there's another separate video of the wreckage much more detailed.
So that video was published by the Iranian news agency uh Tasnim. Uh so I
think this is the third MQ9 Reaper drone uh that uh Iran has taken down this week according to to the reports that I've
seen. Uh two other uh significant tidbits of information. It looks like
Iran today fired missiles at uh Akoba, the Red Sea port of Jordan. I believe
it's first time it has done that in this war. And uh here is a report from uh the ever informative DD geopolitics on X
showing uh a photograph of smoke rising from the King Hussein International Airport in Akaba following Iranian
strikes. Uh I would imagine that there are US military aircraft at that uh at
that airport. Uh Akoba is Jordan's only maritime outlet and one of the country's most strategically important logistics
hubs. And finally, with all of this going on, you will not be surprised to learn that the embassy of the United
States and Lebanon issued two days ago a rather dire warning uh to American citizens. Uh and this is what they said.
Uh due to high tensions in the Middle East, uh that's putting it charitably.
Uh I think the more accurate uh formulation would be due to Trump's criminality in West Asia. The security
environment remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation. We remind Americans in the region of the continued need for caution and encourage them to monitor the news for breaking
developments. Americans traveling in or through the region should also check with their air carriers to make sure their flights are still scheduled.
Americans should not travel to Lebanon and reconsider travel to or through the
Middle East. So even connecting flights uh in the Middle East, this is something which uh the US embassy in Lebanon is urging American citizens to reconsider.
Uh so the situation uh is of course a very dangerous one. The war appears to be escalating.
uh there is no end in sight to the current round of hostility. Uh and therefore uh we are edging ever closer
to a global economic crisis. And um the last thing I'll say is given again how often the United States government has
proven uh that it had no intention of respecting an agreement that it signed, it is going to be extremely difficult,
if not impossible to get the Iranians back to the negotiating table anytime soon. And perhaps they'll never go back to the negotiating table. Uh not as long
as Donald Trump is uh their uh American interlocator. In any case, uh please stay safe out there. Today is the final
of the World Cup. Uh I'm going to bite the bullet. Although I've largely boycotted this World Cup, I am going to watch it on television only because uh I
would very much like to see Argentina get thrashed. Nothing personal uh to people in Argentina, nothing personal to
the players on Argentina, but uh Lamin did raise the This is the star player for the Spanish national team.
19-year-old Laminal uh did raise the uh Palestinian flag and wave it enthusiastically
the day that his club team Barcelona celebrated their victory in the uh Spanish uh La Liga division.
And uh not only that, but uh of all the countries uh in Europe, uh the Spanish government has been by far the most
supportive of the Palestinian cause. And uh you know, the uh uh far-right regime
in Argentina of Javier Malay uh could not conceivably be more pro-Israel. I mean the level of sickopancy shown by
this man towards uh Zionists Javier Malay is really mind-boggling even by the standards of uh western governments.
So for those reasons uh purely political reasons uh I'm going to be cheering for Spain today. Uh in any case let's hope
it's a good match and uh that the better team wins. For now I'm signing off from Montreal, Canada on July 19th, 2026.

[admin]

BREAKING: Iran's Huge Naval Strike In Hormuz; Two Ships 'Under U.S. Navy Watch' Bombed, Catch Fire
Times Of India
Jul 19, 2026

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says two oil tankers exploded and were forced to halt in the southern Strait of Hormuz late last night. According to the semi-official Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed the vessels were attempting to transit through the strategic waterway under what it described as "US coercion." The IRGC issued a strong warning, saying the Strait of Hormuz is no longer safe for the transport of chemical fertilizer or even a single drop of oil and gas. The IRGC's claims come after an earlier maritime alert from the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations. The UKMTO reported that a vessel was on fire approximately eight nautical miles northwest of Kumzar, Oman.



Transcript

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says two oil tankers exploded and were forced to halt in the southern straight
of Hormuz late last night. According to the semiofficial Tasnim news agency, the IRGC claimed the vessels were attempting
to transit through the strategic waterway under what it described as quote US coercion. The IRGC issued a
strong warning saying the straight of Hormuz is no longer safe for the transport of chemical fertilizer or even a single drop of oil and gas.
The group added that the shipping corridor would remain unsafe as long as US military operations in the region continue. The Strait of Hormuz is one of
the world's most strategically important maritime routes, handling a significant share of global oil exports. The IRGC's
claims come after an earlier maritime alert from the United Kingdom maritime operations. The UK MTO reported that a
1 minutevessel was on fire approximately 8 nautical miles northwest of Kumar, Oman.
However, the British Maritime Authority said the cause of the fire had not been verified. It urged all vessels in the area to transit with caution and
immediately report any suspicious activity while authorities investigate the incident. At this stage, there has been no independent confirmation linking
the reported vessel fire to the IRGC's claim of two exploding oil tankers.
When the world's most important oil highway turns into a battlefield, the global economy doesn't just slow down,
it starts searching for a new route. For more than now, the US and Iran have been locked in a relentless
military confrontation centered around the world's most strategic [music] waterways, the Straight of Hormuz.
Nearly a fifth of the world's oil trade passes through this narrow stretch every single day. And as tensions rise, Gulf
nations that are dependent on this route for exports of their oil and [music] goods are racing against time, not just to avoid missiles, but to [music]
protect their economies. With fears of a Hormuz blockade growing, Washington is reportedly preparing to expand its
military operations, even considering Iran's Carg Island, Thran's key oil export [music] hub as a potential
target. The result? Shipping lanes are becoming increasingly crowded. Insurance costs are [music] climbing, and global
oil markets are once again feeling the same squeeze it [music] did when the US Iran war was at its peak in the month of March. But instead of waiting for
[music] the crisis to spiral further, Gulf countries are accelerating long-term plans to bypass the straight of Hormuz altogether. The UAE is
expanding Adnox's west [music] pipeline to Fujira on the Gulf of Oman, a route that completely avoids Hormuz. Once
3 minutescompleted in 2027, it [music] will double the UAE's export capacity through this corridor to around 3.6 million barrels of oil per day.
Saudi Arabia already has a head start.
[music]
Its 12,200 km east-west petrol line carries crude from the Abkike oil fields [music] to the Red Sea port of Yanbu,
allowing exports without entering the Gulf. During the current disruptions,
[music]
Saudi Aramco has already increased flows through this pipeline and is currently operating close to its capacity of about
7 million barrels a day. Iraq is also moving quickly. Construction has begun on [music] the Basra Haditha pipeline, a
$ 1.5 billion project designed to transport up to $2.5 million barrels of crude per day toward export routes
through Turkey, Syria, and [music] Jordan. Its construction began in May after the government allocated about
$1.5 billion for the project. Iraq's former prime [music] minister Muhammad Shia al-Soududani hailed it as an
important step towards protecting the country's exports from regional [music] instability.
At the same time, the long discussed Iraq Jordan export pipeline is gaining momentum, offering another direct route to the Red Seaba.
If completed, [music] it would transport up to 2.25 25 million barrels of oil a day, allowing Iraqi oil to reach global
[music] markets without passing through the Persian Gulf.
It's not just pipelines. [music] The UAE is also planning a major deep water port at Fujira, giving cargo ships another
gateway that completely bypasses the Straight of Hormuz. The project [music] is expected to kick off from the runway in another 18 months. But here's the
reality. Even after billions of [music] dollars in new infrastructure, Hormuz isn't going anywhere. Analysts estimate
[music] that 7 to 9 million barrels of oil will still pass through the strait every day, making it one of the world's most critical [music] energy choke
points. And for countries like Qatar, Kuwait, and even Iraq, there simply isn't a practical alternative [music] at
the moment. Qatar's massive LNG exports still depend almost entirely on Hormuz.
On top of that, [music] many of these new routes eventually rely on the Red Sea, where Huthi attacks near the Bob El Mandde Strait [music]
continue to threaten commercial shipping. So, while Gulf nations are [music] building escape routes, they're not replacing the straight of Hormuz,
they're simply buying themselves options.
Because as long as this narrow waterway remains vulnerable, every missile fired in the Gulf has the potential to shake energy markets across the world.
Iran is turning up the pressure and sending a stark message to Washington.
Tran says the Straight of Hormuz, one of the world's most critical oil shipping routes, is not reopening anytime soon.
In one of its strongest warnings yet, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps declared that the Strategic Waterway
will remain shut until the United States ends [music] its military operations against Iran. The threats didn't stop
there. According to Iranian state television, the IRGC claimed it unleashed cruise missile strikes on a US
military logistics center at Mina Abdullah in Kuwait, describing the attack as its latest act of retaliation
for American strikes on Iranian territory. Meanwhile, the conflict appears to be widening. Iran's regular
army also claimed responsibility for a drone strike targeting Alazra air base in Jordan, another key military facility
that hosts US forces, raising fresh fears that the confrontation could spill even further across the region.
The IRGC also announced strikes targeting facilities linked to the US fifth fleet in Bahrain. In a statement
carried by Iranian state broadcaster IRIB, the guards claimed they hit the command and control center, military
equipment warehouses, and fuel storage facilities used by the US Navy's fifth fleet. But the most explosive message
from the IRGC was reserved for the straight of Hormuz. In a stark warning to Washington, the Revolutionary Guards
declared that the strategic waterway would remain closed until the United States ends what Iran calls its acts of
aggression. With that statement, Tran directly tied [music] the fate of one of the world's most vital maritime choke
points to the escalating confrontation with the United States. The stakes could hardly be higher. The straight of Hormuz
is one of the most strategically important shipping lanes on the planet.
8 minutesNearly 1if of the world's oil and liqufied natural gas supplies normally flow through this narrow passage, linking the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of
Oman in the Arabian Sea, making it a lifeline for the global energy trade.
Any prolonged disruption could send shock waves far beyond the Middle East.
Global energy markets, international shipping, and economies heavily dependent on Gulf oil exports all stand
to face severe consequences, raising fears of fresh volatility in oil prices and [music] a wider economic ripple
effect. The latest Iranian warning comes as the United States continues military operations targeting Iranian missile
sites, air [music] defenses, and naval infrastructure, saying the strikes are intended to protect freedom of navigation after attacks on commercial vessels in the straight.
The Strait of Hormuz is once again turning into a dangerous flash point.
Fresh reports from Iranian media claimed that an [music] exchange of fire was underway in one of the world's most critical maritime choke points, raising
fears of an even wider conflict in the Gulf. According to Iran's mayor news agency, officials in Hormuzan province
said the sounds of explosions heard across Bandar Abbas, nearby coastal cities, and islands in the Persian Gulf
were linked to fighting in the straight of Hormuz. The reports come as the United States confirmed that it has reimposed its naval [music] blockade on
Iran, restricting ships traveling to and from Iranian ports and coastal areas. US Central Command said the blockade took
effect at 400 p.m. Eastern time with more [music] than 20 US Navy warships and hundreds of military aircraft now
deployed across the Middle East. Sentcom said American forces remain vigilant, lethal, and ready. The blockade follows
a fourth straight day of US strikes [music] on Iran. Washington said the latest attacks were aimed at degrading Iranian capabilities allegedly [music]
used to threaten commercial shipping in the straight of Hormuz.

[admin]

‘DEVASTATING REVENGE’: IRGC Commander’s SHOCK Threat To ‘Finish Great Satan America’ | Watch
Times Of India
Jul 19, 2026

A fresh warning has emerged from Tehran as a top Iranian military commander vowed a "decisive and devastating response" to any future U.S. attack. Major-General Ali Abdullahi, commander of Iran's Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, accused the United States of aggression and warned that Washington would face even heavier costs in any new confrontation.



Transcript

Not just the military escalation, but the war of words between the US and Iran is growing louder. The threat from Thran
is becoming even more direct. A top Iranian commander, Major General Ali Abdalahi, the commander of Iran's Kadam
al- Anbias central headquarters, has issued a chilling warning to the United [music] States. Abdullahi declared that an American attack will be met with a decisive and devastating response.
The message comes [music] as tensions between Washington and Iran remain at their highest level in years following days of missile strikes, drone attacks, and retaliatory military operations.
Major General Ali Abdullahi delivered the [music] stark warning in a statement carried by Iranian state media. Calling the [music] United States the great
Satan and a criminal, treacherous, and deceitful enemy. Abdullah vowed that Iran's armed forces stand ready for
another confrontation. According [music] to the commander, any aggression or act of what he called barbarism by the United States [music] would trigger a
decisive and devastating military response. Abdullahi [music] also pledged to strengthen unity between Iran's armed
forces, government officials, and the Iranian people, saying national solidarity would be the country's greatest weapon in the face of external
[music] threats. But his warning didn't stop there. The Iranian commander claimed the United States had suffered
repeated setbacks on the battlefield and was now trying to weaken Iran from within. The enemy following successive
defeats [music] in the military conflict has taken comfort in creating division and discord between the people and their leaders, he said.
Abdali also vowed that Iran would make Washington pay an even heavier price than in past conflicts. We will impose
[music] heavier costs on the United States than in past wars, he declared.
He went on to praise Iran's military capabilities, describing the country's defensive power as the foundation of its national security.
Our dear [music] country's defensive power is a solid foundation for the peace and security of the proud and courageous nation from south to north
and from east to west of the glorious and vast Iranian land. The warning comes at a time when the Middle East remains on edge.
Kitam al-Abby central headquarters warns the deceitful American enemy Iran's armed forces will give a devastating response to any act of brutality.
In this message, the commander of Kitam al- Anbias central headquarters referred to the enemy's successive defeats in the
military war and their sinister and delusional scheme in creating division and discord between the people and officials and warned the criminal,
treacherous and deceitful American enemy that any act of covetousness, bullying, totalitarianism or brutality will be met
with the decisive and devastating response of the faithful, courageous and powerful fighters of the armed forces and that costs heavier than those of the
second and third imposed wars will be imposed upon them. The United States and Iran have exchanged military strikes in
recent days, raising fears that the confrontation could spiral into a wider regional conflict. With both sides
refusing to back down and rhetoric growing increasingly confrontational, the risk of another dangerous escalation continues to loom over the region.
[music]
A fullscale offensive followed by the spilling of American blood is coming.
That's the warning now coming from one of Iran's top military advisers who says the United States could face a massive
Iranian response in the coming days if its bombing campaign continues through the weekend. So, is America preparing to
put boots on the ground in Iran? and risk casualties? That's the question [music] now dominating the conversation as seven consecutive nights of US air
strikes fuels speculation that Washington's military campaign could be entering an entirely new phase. For the
past week, the United States has expanded its strikes from military facilities to critical infrastructure supporting Iran's military operations in
the south. Now, voices inside Iran are warning that these attacks may not be the endgame. They could be laying the
groundwork for a full-scale ground operation. Following the latest strikes on Iran's southern provinces of Huzan
and Hormuzan, Iranian parliamentarian Amir Hussein Sabeti claimed that the bombardment is a prelude to a US
invasion of Iran's strategically important southern islands. According to him, Washington is deliberately targeting transport networks and
communication infrastructure to isolate these areas before attempting to seize them through amphibious landings or helibborne assaults. His warning came
after US Central Command confirmed that its latest wave of strikes targeted Iran's coastal surveillance systems, air
defense networks, [music] military logistics infrastructure, and naval capabilities. These are precisely the assets that protect Iran's coastline and
secure the straight and Hormuz, one of the world's most important maritime choke points. Setti argues that once
these defenses are degraded, it becomes much easier for US forces to operate on the ground or support allied groups
inside Iran. He also warned that any American ground invasion would come at an enormous cost, claiming US forces
would suffer heavy casualties if they attempted such an operation. The speculation intensified after reports that President Donald Trump convened a
situation room meeting to discuss expanding [music] military operations against Iran. According to Axios, those discussions extended far beyond the
current air campaign around the Strait of Hormuz. Trump also hinted during an interview with Fox News that a ground operation remains one of the military
options available. But why are Iran's southern islands so important? Because military analysts say that achieving
complete control over the Strait of Hormuz is extremely difficult without neutralizing or controlling Iran's island positions, including strategic
locations such as Car Island. Those islands provide surveillance, missile coverage, and naval access that are central to Iran's ability to challenge
shipping through the Gulf. [music] That is why some Iranian officials believe the current bombing campaign is not just about destroying military
assets. It is about shaping the battlefield before any potential ground assault. They trampled on this on this agreement.
In practice, they encroached upon the southern region. They attacked [music] um they have shown very despicable
behavior from attacking the camp of our oppressed and dear soldiers to threatening [music] the Shahit Bagay hospital to hitting bridges and
infrastructure to hitting [music] the environmental base to attacking fishing facilities and similar actions.
There is no official confirmation from Washington that a ground invasion has been approved or is imminent. But as the air campaign widens and strategic
targets continue to be struck, the possibility of US boots on the ground is no longer being dismissed inside Iran.
Whether this remains psychological warfare or evolves into a real military operation could determine the next and
perhaps [music] most dangerous chapter of this conflict. If if the Americans continue the war in the next two or
three days, we will enter a phase of fullscale offensive and destruction.
What does that mean? It means we will no longer settle for mere retaliation. No political border will be safe from
Iran's offensive forces anymore. A chilling warning. One misfire, one miscalculation, and the Middle East
could witness devastation on a scale never [music] seen before. The renewed confrontation between Iran and the
United States [music] is threatening to spiral into a conflict that could engulf the entire region. And this warning did not come from just any military officer.
It came from Mosen Razi, a senior military adviser to Iran's supreme leader and a top [music] figure in the
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. In one of Thran's starkkest [music] warnings yet, Razi cautioned that the
conflict is on the verge of entering a far more destructive phase. Speaking to Iranian state television, he declared,
"If in the next two [music] or three days the Americans continue the war, we will enter the phase of total [music]
attack and destruction." Razi also issued a direct warning to America's Arab allies. [music] According
to him, no borders in the region would be safe if the conflict continues to escalate. He further claimed that Iran's
memorandum of understanding [music] with the United States is effectively dead.
According to Razi, Washington violated the agreement by failing to ensure [music] an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon, creating what he
described [music] as an illegal alternative shipping route in the Strait of Hormuz, carrying out attacks on Iranian territory, and failing to
release Iranian [music] assets. He accused Washington of pursuing war and negotiations simultaneously.
Rzai claimed that after the Islamabad talks, Iran [music] accepted a 2-week ceasefire only for Washington to use
10 minutesthat period to strengthen its naval blockade while negotiations were still underway. He also made another sweeping
prediction. Razai [music] claimed a wider global conflict could erupt, alleging that China might move against
Taiwan while Russia could clash with [music] Europe. Remarks that reflect his assessment and have not been independently substantiated. It ended.
Both the negotiations and the war have ended. If the Americans continue the war in the next two or three days, we will
enter a phase of fullscale offensive and destruction. What does that mean?
meaning we will no longer just settle for retaliation.
No political borders are safe anymore against Iran's offensive forces. Of course, we will respect all governments.
All nations are our brothers. But from now on, we will pursue American soldiers with offensive action. We will pursue American bases with offensive action.
Both negotiation and war are over. it is over and done with. Therefore, it is better that they do not continue.
The reason we are cautious about this is that if we enter this phase, the challenges and rifts that exist in the
region and at the international level will be activated.
Meaning challenges will arise between Turkey and Israel, even between Saudi Arabia and some other countries.
Challenges will arise. There will be conflict between China and Taiwan and conflict will arise between Russia and Europe. In fact, the flames that will
ignite across the entire world, it'll become more intense and widespread.
And we do not want this. We do not want this. But the Americans, just as they regionalized the war and forced us into
a regional war, are unfortunately making a mistake. This is another miscalculation that the Americans are in
fact making. Therefore, I ask all the people of the region, the people of Kuwait, the dear people of Jordan, which
has been the path of divine prophets, the people of Abu Dhabi, the people of Qatar, and everyone to prevent this war from igniting.
Stop the war from igniting. Do not let the Americans and Israel run wild like
this and do not let them gallop their horses across the region without any
thought or calculation. In any case, the issue of war is serious.
But that American policy which thinks that through more negotiations and more war they can prolong this in my opinion
will lead them nowhere. Of course, even at this stage, which is a which is a stage of retaliation and deterrence, we
are striking hard and in the coming days, we will increase that intensity even further. The American should expect
waves of drones. America should expect waves of missiles. There will no longer
be just one, two, or three missiles. And if you were to land somewhere, let's
assume you managed to, how would you get out? How would you even escape?
This is not the first time Razi has issued a stark warning. [music] Just days earlier, he described the
straight of Hormuz as being more important [music] than dozens of atomic bombs. According to Razi, the strategic
waterway is one of Iran's most powerful deterrents [music] against the United States. He vowed that Tehran would
continue defending the Strait of Hormuz [music] after Iranian military officials declared the vital shipping lane closed
until further [music] notice following the latest round of hostilities with Washington. The Straight of Hormuz is no
ordinary waterway. It links the Persian Gulf [music] with the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea and carries around 1ifth of the world's seaborn oil shipments.
Any disruption there can send shock waves through global energy markets within [music] hours. Razi's latest
remarks rank among the strongest [music] warnings issued by a senior Iranian official since the latest escalation
began. With missiles still flying, military operations expanding across the [music] region, and diplomacy appearing
to unravel, the possibility of a broader Middle East war now appears more real [music] than ever. The coming days could
determine whether the region steps back from the brink or plunges into an even more dangerous confrontation.

[admin]

Iran WIPES OUT US Troops, Yemen SHUTS Red Sea as Trump PANICS | Alexander Mercouris
Danny Haiphong
Streamed live 71 minutes ago #iran #iranwar #trump

Trump is panicking as Geopolitical analyst Alexander Mercouris joins Danny Haiphong to discuss Iran's major escalation that has US troop losses spiking and the mounting crises facing US empire as Yemen closes theBab el-Mandeb Strait.



Transcript

Welcome back to the show everyone. Alexander Mccurus of the Duran is here with me to break down the latest news. We begin with the latest developments in the Iran war. The United States says it is teetering on allout war with Iran despite the fact that US losses continue to mount.

Now according to US officials, one additional US troop, now two were confirmed dead yesterday. One additional US soldier was confirmed dead in Iraq from an undetonated drone. And then the remains of another US soldier on a US base in Jordan was identified as dead as well. And this comes as ongoing Iranian retaliation continues to have now we can say objectively, Alexander, far more impact than what the United States is doing.

Here is some [snorts] of the reports. The the Iran has says that it 1 minutehad destroyed 20 hangers in Al Ozrock base in Jordan and damaged USC7 transport and P8 command aircraft at Akaba airport which directly borders Israel. And as of today, Iran is firing at Kuwait and Bahrain. Sensecom strikes Alexander uh reportedly are becoming more and more vague.

SenCom is not giving amounts and how much they are striking. They say they're uh getting revenge for the dead US troops that were killed by Iranian missile and drones, but nonetheless, it looks like those are weakening and there is some activity among mediators, especially Qatari trying to force a ceasefire as things get uh even more hot with Yemen announcing a blockade of Saudi Arabia, a full blockade, port for port, which has huge implications for the Red Sea. Alexander, help us understand what's going on. What do you make of these developments?

2 minutesWell, we are in we are in a state of all allout war between Iran and the United States. I think we need to be clear about this. I mean, what there was an article, I think it was in the Financial Times, but certainly in the British media, saying that the United States has essentially returned back to its original objective in fighting Iran, which was regime change in Iran. The problem is they can't really come up with a plan of how to achieve regime change in Iran.

And of course they're launching these attacks and strikes against Iran. But there is a fundamental difference between the way the two militaries, the Iranian and the American are configured. The American military is configured exclusively for air attack. It has no ability really to organize effective defense because the United States has never really imagined itself in a situation where it is under attack from the air.

It therefore does not have hardened bases. It does not have the kind of elaborate well-developed air defense system which some countries like Russia, China to some extent Iran have. And the result is that its bases, its troops across the Middle East are extremely vulnerable. By contrast, Iran has been forced to prepare both for offense and defense.

So, it's built up enormous caves, its uh hardened shelters, its bunkers which are all over um Iran. And at the same time, it's developed a very powerful missile and drone capability which enables it to strike against targets, American targets across the Middle East, extending as far as Jordan and it seems even Israel itself. So that is the fundamental difference and it's something that the US never really imagined and never really planned for. The US has never fought a war in its history in which it did not have overwhelming air superiority.

It now finds itself in one and it is completely unprepared for it and its military is not really con configured to know what to do with it. So it strikes Iran repeatedly, but the strikes that it makes have limited effect. Whereas the Iranian strikes on American facilities, as you say, are much more effective. They result in American soldiers being killed and in the Americans being forced to evacuate some of their bases.

So, it it's a war, but not one which the Americans appear to have a plan for winning. 25 25 speed and it'll be about the minute just to get an idea of how also these deaths are being reported because the United States also has far less tolerance when it comes to taking casualties and now the casualties are mounting. The Department of War just confirmed the identity of two active duty soldiers who were killed in Operation Inherent Resolve. It's 25-year-old first lieutenant Tyler James Fehan and 19year-old Private Isabella Gonzalez.

Meanwhile, the United States retaliating with a nice straight night of strikes on Iranian military sites. Alexandria Hoff is at the White House with the latest for us. Alex, good morning to you. 19 and 25 years old, it is a hard pill to swallow this morning.

But the current uh air campaign against Iran right now, this is really punishments for the specific IRGC factions that have targeted US air bases, including that base in Jordan that proved to be so deadly. Now, circulating video of what is believed to be those strikes was released by the Associated Press. The Pentagon confirming this weekend that the two US service members were killed, leaving a third missing, though unidentified remains have been found. That person is still unidentified at this time.

The president though is expressing profound grief for this. Well, we feel very badly, but you know, those great people, those great patriots were out there fighting that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, but we hit them very hard again tonight. And we did that in honor of the probably three. It's probably three as opposed to two great patriots.

So, uh, even Trump is acknowledging now that at least three in just these single acts. This only happened within a matter of a couple of days. Uh but Alexander, you know, Trump is acknowledging these losses. Uh there are talks of now mediation happening.

Qatar is trying to I believe push through some kind of ceasefire which Iran has already 7 minutesrejected. But uh we heard that Trump was going to open the gates of hell. That has not happened. Why why do you think this is uh despite the thoughts about escalation uh dragging on in the way that it is?

Because at this moment, US officials are telling the Washington Post that the United States neither has the logistics to send troops to Iran in order to conduct some kind of ground evasion nor the supplies militarily uh to conduct even larger scale offensive operations. Well, I think this also points to something else. I mean, I spoke about how the US military is designed is configured for offense, not really for defense. So they're not really in a position, they're not organized to defend themselves against the kind of attacks that Iran has been conducting.

But of course, we come back to the underlying problem of the entire American military at procurement system. 8 minutesAmerican lives are taken very seriously in the United States. They don't like like to lose lose their people. um they are obviously very proflegate in the number of people they kill on the other side.

If they kill hundreds or thousands of people on the other side that matters less but if a few Americans are killed that matters a great deal and has political effect on the Iranian side they are prepared to take casualties because for them this is an existential war. It is about the survival of their country and of its political system and of course they have religious beliefs which in some cases actually welcome death. So there's again a difference but we also have the procurement issues and here again it's something which perhaps President Trump has never really quite understood. The United States has always had overwhelming force against all of its adversaries.

is never faced adversaries who could hit back or who could sustain a long war against against the United States. Now it the United States finds itself in a long war and its entire industrial procurement system is not designed for it. They're not designed to produce hundreds of missiles um a day or or or or thousands and thousands of precisiong guided bombs a day. And their aircraft are expensive and complex to operate and require heavy maintenance in well protected and wellprovided bases.

This is not the kind of war that the United States is really prepared for. One which is grueling, which is a a long war of attrition where the enemy just doesn't give up but goes on fighting day after day, week after week, month after month, potentially year after year. This is not something that the United States is ready for or has ever really planned for. [snorts] Well, uh, if there's one thing about President Donald Trump of the United States is that he never appears to be, how should I say, um, uh, unrled.

He always appears to be rattled, and he is definitely rattled. Today, uh, right before we came on the show, he put on his true social, every time Iran kills an American soldier, they will pay for that killing many times over. This directive has been passed on to the Secretary of War Pete Hexath and Daniel Kaine, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and every leader in the military. Uh so this is uh Donald Trump's reaction to these losses uh Alexander but but as you just noted there are limitations to this and uh what we've seen maybe you can comment on this across the board is that actually the US despite saying it's going to strike deeper and harder has actually remained in these nine days in a very particular area striking the southern coast.

Iran has even objected that these targets are legitimate at all. That they are mainly civilian in large part because Iran had planned for this contingency. They they planned for the straight of Hormuz area to become [snorts] a a battleground especially when they declared control over it when the ceasefire fell through. Your thoughts on this?

Well, a few things. Firstly, I mean what President Trump has just said is another example of President Trump leading by tantrum uh directing a war uh um in emotionally and without thinking through. I mean, what kind of an order is that? I mean, it's it's an absurd order if you think about it.

You know, 12 minutesthey kill one of our people, so we must kill 10 of them. I mean that that isn't um the kind of order that a rational commander gives to his um military. Um a rational commander gives orders which are intended to achieve victory. This is this is seeking revenge in a war which of course ultimately Donald Trump himself started.

I mean, it it shows his frustration that the Iranians are resisting and that they're able to hit back and that they're inflicting casualties, which is clearly not something that Donald Trump ever really believed that they would do. Now, to the extent that I can see a plan behind what the United States is doing, it seems that they're trying to soften the territory around the Strait of Hormuz, around the coastline of Iran in order to break Iranian control of the Strait of Hormuz. I'm told that this coastline makes that all but impossible. that it is extraordinarily easy to defend.

And besides, as the Iranians have demonstrated, most of their missile and um drone capabilities are long ranged. So they don't need to maintain missile batteries on the coast to fight and to stop ships or indeed warships also entering the straight of Hormuz. So as a military strategy, it appears flawed if it's intended to soften the ground in advance of an American ground operation against Iran to try to seize this territory. I would have said that was also incredibly difficult to do and will take a very long time.

I don't think the United States has the time and I don't think Donald Trump has the political um credibility and the political credit in the United States to begin such a grand operation. Now I wanted your comments Alexander on another part of this war which is now uh you know uh Ansarala what many in the west call the Houthis they declared a blockade today. They announced that there was going to be a major move made uh in the next yesterday and they declared that this blockade is an eye for an eye. It's a response to the siege.

Of course, this siege escalated dramatically in recent over the last week or so with Saudi Arabia bombing Sana airport. Now, this has huge implications though because a big part of Saudi's oil transit at the moment, Alexander, is through the Yamu port and into the Red Sea and then back out to the world market. Uh, Ansar has said this is port for port. This is uh every single pathway for Saudi trade and and oil transit will be uh blockaded and we have a few vessels uh burning in the straight of horm after Iran hit them.

So there's obviously big moves to choke off these choke points uh by onsarala. What do you make of it? What do you make of the potential impact of this and uh uh where it's going? Well, I think this could have potentially a very great impact.

Now what we see is that the United States talks escalation but has up to now not been able to escalate. It's got limits on what it can do. Its inventories are depleted and they are depleting. Um it doesn't want to use ground forces.

Um, by contrast, the other side does have the ability to escalate and that is precisely what they're doing. They've now effectively closed the Strait of Hummus. Again, there's the there's this interesting intrigue between the Houthis and the Saudis. The Saudis, as you rightly say, bombed U SA airport.

Very reckless, unwise, foolish thing for them to do. Apparently they got permission to do it from Trump himself. I wonder whether it was actually permission that Trump gave them or whether maybe he urged them to do it, that he was angry because an Iranian delegation or some kind of Iranian aircraft was flying to to Yemen. Anyway, we now see the result.

The Houthis closed the Red Sea last year. The United States deployed a fleet to try to break that Houthi blockade. it proved unable to do it. There is no reason why the Houthies cannot do this again.

If they really do close the Red Sea to this kind of shipping to Saudi shipping and the Saudis can't export their oil, then this is a crisis because the oil that Saudi Arabia has been exporting has been part of the reason why the headline price of oil has not gone above $100 a barrel. If the Saudis can't export it, if all oil export from the Persian Gulf area and from Saudi Arabia stops, then well, again, it's difficult to see how we're going to avoid further increases in the price of oil and greater oil shortages coming. Yeah. Yeah.

And the price of oil is already uh going up. Uh it came down very briefly today because of those reports of mediation and I I believe it was Marco Rubio he said that Iran wants to talk. Uh that of course is almost always market manipulation in an attempt to bring down the prices but uh there is no indication of that. As I showed earlier as you were talking Alexander there are ships burning in the straight of Hormuz right now.

there there is obviously no interest by Iran to let go of this control and the United States doesn't seem poised to uh settle this on Iran's terms either. So it is it is quite the the dilemma. Uh your your final thoughts on this before we move on for me. Well, I I I think this is a this is the key thing to understand because of course what happened was this.

The United States attacked Iran with Israel on the 28th of February. The policy that Iran had in the first three weeks of the war was that there would be no interim ceasefire, that there would be no uh cessation of hostilities unless and until there was a full and complete agreement between Iran and the United States covering all outstanding issues and which took the form, as I remember, of a treaty, a final agreement. That was the Iranian position. The Iranians were talked out of that position by Pakistan and by China and by other mediators and this was uncontroversial that was sorry this was very controversial in Iran but anyway they were talked out of it.

They agreed a memorandum of understanding with the Americans, which is exactly the kind of temporary ceasefire they'd previously said they would not agree to. The memorandum of understanding set out various steps and concessions which the United States would make. The United States did not make those steps or concessions. So those people in Iran who said that the memorandum of the standing was a mistake, that the initial policy of refusing any interim deal and of insisting that the only deal Iran is prepared to do is a full final complete deal ratified as a treaty or whatever uh between itself and the United States.

they feel vindicated. They will come back and say, "Well, all of these requests for a ceasefire from countries like Qatar, before long, no doubt Pakistan, we've already been there. " What happened? The Americans tried to get shipping through the straight of Hormuz.

They they took advantage of the steps that we took, but they gave back nothing substantive in return. So this time the Iranians are saying this time it's for real. We're going back to our original policy, the policy we had in the first three weeks of the war and this time we are not going to be persuaded again to part with it. The memorandum of understanding episode has destroyed what little remaining trust there was between the Trump administration and Iran.

Yeah. Well then, yeah, given what you just said there too, uh your reaction to this, this is uh I found this report to be uh very shocking because what we are hearing now is from Iran is while I don't necessarily believe this may be imminent, uh there's obviously conversations happening about something as serious as an Iranian ground incursion uh itself. uh Iran according to uh a prominent Iranian journalist and former Iranian foreign minister uh Monachir Motakei they're saying that Iran could launch its own kind of ground incursion into Kuwait and seize military bases like Camp Buring or Ali Alsam air base. Now both of these bases have taken enormous damage uh since the war began but especially in the last week nine days of uh restarted hostilities.

Kuwait is considered one of Iran's principal political options for a potential ground encouragement aimed at seizing two US military bases in the country. I mean, that's a that's a major uh even if uh it's not happening inside, we don't know if it's happening inside the government, we know people very close to the government are are raising it. um that that almost makes me believe Alexander that even the attempt at a ground operation by the United States carries far more risks than just let's just say what Iran has been doing up until this point uh which which would be of course drone attacks, missile attacks on US uh troop uh positions if they were to do this. Your thoughts on this?

It's it's a very it's it's it's very unconventional from this standpoint of history. We don't often hear of a country the US is bombing or it's waging war against take this kind of measure in response. Well indeed and can I just say I I don't actually think Iran really does plan to do this. I think what they're doing is they're telling the Americans, look, we we hear all this talk about ground operations against our country.

If you start doing that kind of thing to us, then be aware we can do the same to your allies and we can seize your bases and your bases are not that far from our territory and we have soldiers and troops who are there in much larger numbers than yours and um this would be a debacle for you. The reason I don't think the Iranians would do this is because I don't think that Iran's friends around the world, China, Russia especially, would want to see something like this happen. So, um, you know, I I may be wrong, but I think this is more a warning to the Americans. Don't even think of a ground war.

If you go down the route of a gun of a ground war, don't imagine that we're just going to be there on the defense just as we've gone on the attack following your air attacks on us. So if there is a ground war, a ground invasion of our country, we will retaliate by launching ground invasions of your allies. And don't for a moment think we don't have the capability to do it. Yeah.

And um it may not be necessary either because I want to uh pull this up. This is uh the US air base in in Jordan. Uh satellite imagery shows that uh yeah, Iran's missile and drone attacks are incredibly accurate and have done major damage to drone hangers, aircraft hangers, and of course the troop barracks which led to these uh you know dozens of US casualties and the at least three US soldiers killed. So it may not be necessary, especially if it's on Iranian territory to um you know to waste uh you know manpower on some kind of uh you know ground operation.

But nevertheless, Alexander, one thing that's been impressive uh I wanted your comment on is how quickly Iran has rebuilt uh after these strikes. And I think this um is understated. For example, when the bridge, the not the bridge, the railroad that was um connecting Iran to China through Turk Manistan was bombed, uh I believe Iran got that back up within uh you know a day's time or within hours. And recently as the United States has bombed bridges and even a desalin desalinization plant uh on the southern Iran uh that too has been restored within uh a few hours.

So what do you make of this uh development? It appears the contingencies of Iran's preparation I find this quite impressive has also included what you do after strikes hit the country. And I'm curious if you if you know any historical precedent for this, especially given the fact that we're kind of unprecedented at times where the US is having to uh trade fire with an adversary. Well, a good a good precedent was what happened in Vietnam, by the way.

Um during the Vietnam War, there was very very heavy American bombing of Vietnam. But Vietnam, North Vietnam was always able to keep its roads, its uh um um industrial facilities running at least to some level. And of course, they kept the Ho Chi Min Trail operating despite enormous bombing by the United States of the Ho Chi Min Trail. But Iran, coming back to Iran, Iran is a much more sophisticated and much better organized society than I think many people in the west um give it credit for.

It has a lot of engineering depth. It has large numbers of very well-trained, very dedicated engineers. It has a very substantial construction industry. Um, one of the things that has happened in Iran since the Islamic Revolution of the N of 1979 is that they carried out a massive program to upgrade and build up their infrastructure.

So they are well positioned to repair damage and because they've planned for this because they've always expected sooner or later that there would be an attack of this kind on their country because they've also got the experience of the Iran Iraq war when the their infrastructure their cities were also attacked by the Iraqis. The Iranians know how to do this. They know how to organize to do this. And as you rightly say, they do it very fast.

As soon as something is destroyed, they get it back together again. Um, it's again a capability which in the west we have to a great extent lost. Yeah. And I'll just pull up what I pulled up while you were speaking.

Oh, here it is. Uh this is from Iran's energy minister. So it's the Banji desalization plant in Jas. It was completely restored uh to normal in less than after a missile strike hit it.

Um and that supplies 10,000 people across 20 villages in that county with water. So yeah, very um very rapid response to US strikes which uh count first of all that's a civilian that's civilian infrastructure but it counters the narrative that the United States was sent always says degrading Iran's capabilities to control or they don't say control the stra or degrade Iran's ability to uh uh to attack and hit uh activity in the straight of Hormuse but doesn't seem like that's actually what's happening here. People in the west have an continue to have a very exaggerated idea of what bombing and strikes can actually do. Um this is something either way I've studied but um I mean even during the second world war industrial facilities were shown to have enormous resilience to bombing.

I mean this proved to be the case in Germany. It proved to be the case in Japan. It proved by the way to be the case in the Soviet Union as well. And provided you have a strong cader of engineers and skilled workers who are prepared to come in and repair the damage quickly and provided you built in redundancies into the system which we don't tend to do so much in the West anymore but in other countries they still do.

Absolutely. you can get industrial facilities repaired and back up and running very very quickly. The same is true, by the way, about the refineries in Russia. I've been saying this for over a year now that, you know, attacks by Ukrainian drones on Russian refineries doesn't mean that those refineries are knocked out of action for any significant length of time.

You can see smoke, you can see fires, but the fires can be put out and the repairs can be done. And the Iranians show that they have at least the same level of skills, perhaps even more, because they have been living under the threat of war for decades, which of course the Russians have not. Well, I guess that's a good segue into Alexander. 3 billion in economic damage.

Uh this is a regular occurrence now. Uh Ukraine sending hundreds of drones especially after Russian strikes which Russia has struck uh Odessa in Kiev in recent days. um talk about what what is happening in the conflict and uh you know maybe any parallels you see and what's happening in these two wars because uh they're they're often disconnected from each other. Indeed they are.

Well, first of all, let me just explain who what Wild Berries is. Wild Berries is a Russian analog to at Amazon. Um in fact, Russia has two. There's a company called Wildberries which is the one we're talking about and then there's this rival which is called Ozone and they are present in every village every town every city in Russia they're extremely well organized uh Russia has gone into e-commerce on a massive scale a fact which um is not very well known in the west and of course like Amazon they have these big warehouses where they keep lots of goods and this was a particularly big warehouse warehouse in the Moscow region.

Now, the Ukrainians are saying that these warehouses have been used by the Russian military um for supporting logistics in the war. I am unable to say whether that is true or not. Definitely because obviously I have not actually visited these warehouses but I personally think that is extremely unlikely. The Russians have their own the Russian military has its own logistic system which is going to be very hardened.

I don't understand why they would be using warehouses in the Moscow region um to support operations in Ukraine. And if you know anything about the way wild berries works, you would feel and I do feel that this is extremely unlikely. Now, what has been happening in the war in Ukraine over the last few months is that as the Russians press forward on the front lines and they've now reached the line of the fortified cities in Donbass and we are coming close to what could well be a final apocalyptic battle for those cities. The Ukrainians have tried to put emphasis on a sort of drone offensive that they're conducting themselves against Russia.

The trouble is Russians have a very very advanced and very effective air defense system. Most of the drones when they've attacked installations like refineries and military facilities tend to get shot down. The attacks on the refineries themselves do only a certain amount of damage. But Ukraine having invested so much in this drone offensive and having spoken it talked it up so [snorts] much to the Western media now needs targets for its drones to be able to show that it is continuing to do damage.

So what I suspect is happening is that they're coming after soft targets and these big warehouses by companies like owned by companies like Wildberries are obvious are obvious targets. So I think this is what's happening. I think we're seeing a drone offensive which started as an attack an an offensive against the road linking Russia with Crimea and then evolved into attacks on refineries and then evolved into attacks on ships in the Sea of Azorov and then the Black Sea as each of those campaigns have gradually been countered by the Russian air defense system. They're now attacking Wild Berries warehouses instead.

[snorts] And what does it say, Alexander, about uh the conflict in general? Like what why is Ukraine choosing a drone the why is it infesting so much in these drone attacks? Uh what's happening on the battlefield? How does it relate?

because uh we're not hearing so much from the collective west anymore about uh territory or if we do it's only scant references to Russia not having gained a lot uh or losing the initiative but very little on Ukraine moving toward any kind of victory. So very far less of that and more of well bringing it home to Russia, the war, this economic pain, the the the inconveniences, the the danger and the fear of drone attacks will rattle uh internal Russian society and lead to a favorable outcome for the collective west. But I'm curious on what you what you have to say about what's happening on the ground. What what what has happened over the last couple of months is that we have had what I suspect was a very organized campaign to try to create a sort of sense of euphoria that Ukraine was somehow holding back the Russians on the front lines and successfully bringing the war home to the Russians in their own country.

and that for that reason the Russians were on the back foot and that the Ukrainians had regained the initiative. Now I every part of that narrative was wrong in my opinion. On the front lines the Russians have continued to advance. I mean they've recently captured um Constantineka which was a big city in Donbass.

It's the second biggest city that the Russians have captured since the start of the special military operation and it's one of the important cities in this line of fortified cities in Donbass. And the Russians have been advancing 39 minutessignificantly in other places. And perhaps most worryingly for the Ukrainians, they've also been expanding significantly. Now, the territory that they control in northeastern Ukraine, which they're not exactly close to Kiev, does potentially put the Russians in a position where they might decide that they have a place from which to launch an attack towards Kiev.

So on the ground things have been going badly for Ukraine, very badly this year. And in fact recently there was an article in a Ukrainian newspaper in which Ukrainian soldiers were actually coming out and saying this drone offensive that we're hearing about isn't helping us and our own situation on the front lines is becoming increasingly difficult. So that's the front lines. As for the drone offensive, you have to remember one thing about Russia.

It is the world's biggest country. It has an enormous territory. There's an enormous territory to defend, but the very size of the country, while that makes it vulnerable to the fact that some drones will always get through because you cannot defend everything over such a huge territory. also give it immense resilience because a drone strike on a town like Tambbor where one of those wild berries warehouses was located is not going to have much impact in a other city in the euros or in Siberia or in Moscow or wherever.

Now as it happens a month ago I was in Moscow. I was in Moscow at a time when Ukrainian drone attacks against Moscow were taking place. I was in another town in Russia called Scoff, which is a military town where an airborne division is garrisoned and where a lot of the people, the men join the military and which has also been a target of Ukrainian drones. I didn't see any sign of drones.

I didn't see any nervousness amongst people about drones. They were not having any significant impact on the economy at all. This was before the big attacks on the refineries. So afterwards, after I left Russia, there was talk of gases in some places.

Not entirely uncommon, by the way, in Russia in summer where um there's always shortages of gasoline because Russia doesn't have many refineries that refined gasoline. But nothing that I saw suggested that this drone offensive was having an impact. And since the last couple of days, I've been speaking to some people in Russia and they tell me that in Moscow, in the big cities, the gasoline situation has abated, that gasoline is available again, and the problem there has been resolved overall. So if you launch hundreds of drones against Russia, some are bound to get through, but the amount the amount of damage they do is going to be very small and it is certainly not going to change the calculus of the Kremlin and it's not going to make them change their policy and it's not going to frighten the Russian people into opposition to the Kremlin either.

Yeah. Yeah. And uh Alexander, you know, in the last or so that we have, you know, uh in both wars, the the ultimate immediate conversation about any kind of sessation of hostilities is a uh ceasefire. But now, not only has there never really been I mean there never really has been a ceasefire in the Ukraine conflict at all other than very brief ones uh to observe certain holidays and things like this.

Um but uh with Iran, of course, there's been now theou uh period and of course what happened uh after the 12-day war in June. But uh is the is the era of ceasefires over when it comes to these conflicts? Uh and and then how do wars, especially when they involve the United States, which is uh at at least still uh the hegeimon in so many ways? What does an end to the war even look like uh under the conditions of the United States being a hedgeon and being pretty much 100% committed to war regardless of the costs?

I think we're seeing this over and over is uh you outlined all the costs in the Iran conflict. You can outline the costs in the Ukraine conf. But nevertheless, it persists. you uh in in your second the second part of your comments, you have identified for me what is the massive issue because um the Russians and the Iranians both have the initiative in their wars but what their ultimate plan for victory in each case is is very difficult is is very very difficult to say.

Now talk let's talk about ceasefires first. Now, the Russians did agree to a big ceasefire back in 2015, and that of course took the form of the Minsk agreement, and that ceasefire was in effect in place for seven years. And the Russians feel that they were taken for a ride and that there was a ceasefire. um agreed when the Russians held the initiative and the advantage and that the only effect of the ceasefire was that it gave the Ukrainians an opportunity to rearm and re-equip and the Ukrainians never fulfilled their part of the ceasefire.

I mean they never they never did any of the things that the Minsk agreement required them to do. Now, I happen to know because I was told this whilst I was in Russia that when theou was signed, the Russians told the Iranians, "Be very, very careful. To us, this looks very much like Minsk. You are going to be expected to fulfill your part of the deal by the Americans, but don't expect the Americans to fulfill theirs.

Now, the Russians never advised the Iranians to walk away from theou. But they did tell the Iranians, be very careful. This is not the end of the conflict. It's only a stage in the conflict.

You must prepare for the next round. And in fact, we can see that the Iranians themselves very quickly decided that theou wasn't working. And the result was that we're back in a war situation. And the Iranians, like the Russians, the Russians very badly burnt over Minsk, the Iranians similarly burnt over theou are saying no interim ceasefires.

No way are we going to agree to a ceasefire until and unless we have a final agreement. The problem is how do you force a country like the United States, a global superpower, the Heggerman as you described it to a full agreement on your terms. You can't realistically defeat it in the kind of way that you know would enable you to impose your terms on the Americans like you know the allies imposed terms on the Germans in Versailles in 1919. I mean that isn't going to happen.

So what do you do? And well it's difficult to say. Um, I think that in terms of Ukraine, the Russians did hope and did believe that there was a chance that if they won Dombbass and perhaps the other two regions, Apogeia and Hong, that would be enough to get the Americans to bring the Americans to their senses and to agree a long-term agreement about the security systems in Europe and in Ukraine itself, which is what the Russians have been wanting. I think the Russians have basically given up of hope of that.

And that then begs the question, what do they do once they've cleared Don Bass and cleared Hersong and cleared Zapper in the absence of an agreement? And I think the consensus is now starting to grow in Russia, in Moscow, that they have no real option but to press on, to go on moving forward, to go on moving westwards to Kiev, to the Neper, perhaps if they have to beyond the Neper. Now, that was never, I think, their original plan, but they might decide that they have no real alternative. Now, with Iran, it's even more difficult because Iran is not as powerful a country as Russia is.

So, what does Iran do? Well, it can push the United States out of its bases in the Persian Gulf. It can push the United States to Jordan. and it can push the United States all the way to Israel.

But the United States is still there. It still has enormous naval assets. It still has huge resources. It can still impose enormous crippling economic costs on Iran.

So what does Iran do? And I think again the Iranians probably now are thinking to themselves, we are going to be involved in a very very long drawn out confrontation with the United States. What we need to do once we've pushed the Americans back from our immediate region is we need to stabilize our economy. And that means we need to go and look to our new friends in China, in Russia.

We've been wary of doing that up to now, but that really is our only choice. Yeah. Two things came up as you were talking. One, um, some have noted that Iran's, uh, approach to its own, uh, strikes against US bases has been very calculated, not only in Kuwait and Bahrain.

I mean, these are two countries that have literally been staging the attacks on Iran this time around by the United States, but also this attention on Jordan uh being this kind of uh principal layer of defense of Israel in the future, knowing probably that 51 minutesIsrael, while it is not directly a party at this moment, uh although that could be a stretch um depending on uh if you count intelligence, but nevertheless, uh in terms terms of strikes, Israel is not conducting strikes on Iran right now. Nevertheless, Jordan is a key hub for uh defenses against any kind of strikes against Israel and that has been degraded quite significantly, especially recently. And then two, what came up as well is uh as you were talking about Russia and China and Iran turning toward them. uh there has been a curious narrative I'm I'm wondering your thoughts on in addition to this which is that uh some have been saying that China might have been pushing uh Iran through Pakistan to come to an agreement and to maybe taper hilies or even reduce the scope of their retaliation against US attacks.

I'm very skeptical of any kind of specifics in this regard be beyond China supporting a kind of mediation process by Pakistan. But I'm curious on your thoughts because while China definitely does has an interest in have an interest in stability, it's very hard to find evidence of China really getting involved in uh military matters in any part of the world, not least or directly not least uh this major conflict, maybe the biggest one in the world right now. I think it is well established that China did put pressure on Iran to agree to theou to agree to the ceasefire that was agreed in April and then uh to go forward to agree to theou and there are reasons for this firstly there are economic reasons. Iran uh China has good relations with Saudi Arabia with the other Persian Gulf states with Iran itself.

It imports oil from the Persian Gulf. China wants um energy flow to continue. Also, China does not like blockades, sea blockades. It doesn't like things like the straight of Hormuz being closed because if it is closed, then that sets a precedent.

Maybe one day the straits the straight of Malaca will be closed to or the straight of Taiwan will be closed. And these are things obviously the China doesn't want to see. But at the same time, the Chinese know perfectly well that when the United States is coming for Iran, it's not just coming for Iran because, you know, it's concerned about Israel. But it also has a longerterm objective which is to weaken China and to weaken China's overall global position.

I I was told recently this is I was told by somebody in Russia by the way who [snorts] actually lives in Beijing that every Beijing taxi driver talks about this that you know this is something that every Beijing taxi driver if you ask them will say this attack on Iran is ultimately about us. So the Chinese know this perfectly well. And when Trump went to China in March and met Cining, it was absolutely clear that the Chinese were not prepared to help the Americans in the Persian Gulf. They were not going to put pressure on Iran to make substantive concessions.

and they were certainly not going to pull any coals out of the fire for the United States. And I think that will remain the position. So I think that if this thing becomes long drawn out, you're going to see Iran initially at least work towards closer economic links with Russia because Russia is closer by. There are economic links already in existence.

There's talk about setting up a north north south car corridor across the Caspian um to supply goods to Iran. And I think that as that develops, you're going to see the Chinese involved as well. Yeah. Yeah.

No doubt. Um you know theou is such an interesting case because on the one hand there were reports that perhaps the supreme leader in Iran which was not uh in favor of it but nonetheless he allowed it to go through and there was significant support from uh not just the negotiators but significant levels of the government the president and and those uh around him. Uh so not surprising that China would then support that process given that uh one as you said it has economic benefit. Uh China was the one to broker normalization between Saudi Arabia and Iran and doesn't want to see Gulf countries get pounded because the United States is forcing uh forcing that to occur.

But uh nevertheless uh there's also the fact that uh you know uh China will always support uh stability in the region as especially if it has support from major levels of of the government uh involved. So it didn't come so shocking I guess it didn't come as such a bombshell to me that uh China would be behind it. But, uh, there's also, uh, maybe your final comments as we close the show, Alexander. Uh, there's also a curious shift happening.

Uh, I don't know if it was just a one-off, a single day, but none of these things happen on a single day as the Iran war has been raging. Trump has been moving toward a kind of domestic political shift in the United States now toward a China uh gate kind of scenario where he is blaming China for his defeat in 2020 which almost it looks which looks uh just like what the Democrats did in 2016 with Russia except perhaps a little less sophisticated and a far different circumstance. Now we're talking, you know, six plus years past an election rather than right after rather than the momentum of a narrative like uh Russia Russia Russia Russia gay Russia stole the elections having already been um built up during an election season, especially one as eventful as 2016. So um your thoughts on this?

It's a very curious shift given that Trump has tried to make China less of a focus without really changing policy but less of a focus um a especially after the talk with Xiinping that you referenced. Yeah. Well, what what happened I think was this. I mean that speech which Trump made which is an extraordinary speech by the way.

I mean um very bizarre speech um it [clears throat] obviously had a domestic aspect. It was intended, I think, to strengthen Trump's domestic political position and to shore up support within the United States amongst his electoral base. Some of them still feel very aggreg. I also think that it shows that Trump's own attempt to win over the Chinese as he expected has not succeeded.

He went to Beijing. He met Cining. There were the the the meeting was full of courtesies. As you were always people whenever foreign dignitaries go to China, they're always treated very politely.

But nothing of substance came out of that meeting. The Chinese didn't give an inch on anything. They didn't give an inch on rare earths. I read a big article in the Financial Times just the other day about the very tight restrictions that China has now imposed on exports of rare earths and the way they're trying to ensure that when they do export rare earths, those rare earths don't reach the military-industrial complex and don't enter into the process of military industrial production.

So the Chinese didn't waver on that. They didn't make any big economic concessions. They didn't sign any big contracts with the many American businessmen who went with Trump. They gave no ground at all on Iran.

They weren't prepared to put pressure on Iran to get Iran to make concessions to the United States as opposed to the United States having to make concessions to Iran. They were prepared to put they weren't prepared to put any pressure on the Russians over Ukraine. [snorts] So Trump came back from that meeting obviously frustrated and obviously it's weighed on him since and you can see that some of his latest comments about China basically reflect his exasperation. Just as the Russians and the Iranians aren't doing what he wants, the Chinese aren't doing what he wants either.

And if you're Donald Trump, you throw a tantrum. And uh when that happens, well as Andrew, it was a great show. I want to make sure everybody knows to hit the like button before we go and to check out the video description where they can find your YouTube show as well as the Duran um which you also co-host and organize. uh everybody in it in both channels are absolutely critical to understanding what's going on in Ukraine, Iran, and geopolitically in general.

Um yeah, so everyone hit the like button, hit the subscribe button if you haven't. Uh all the places to see Alexander's work and to support this channel are there in the video description. Alexander, you have any final words for the audience before we head out of here? I think you I think the most important point was the one you made during the program that uh seeing a way towards end ending a war with the United States or achieve a victory over the United States is very difficult for the Iranians and the Russians.

And what that means is that one, we're likely to be in this for a very long time. Both conflicts are not going to be resolved quickly. And secondly, the risk of greater escalation in both cases is there. I am certain we're going to see a lot more escalation in both conflicts over the next few months.

Yeah, we'll be here to to cover it. Uh Alexander, thanks so much again. Hit the like button, everyone. Check out his work in the video description.

Uh and support this channel in the video description, too. I'll be back tomorrow and I'll let you know what is going on soon enough. All right, everybody. See you tomorrow.

Take care. Bye-bye.

[admin]

Chilling Video: Iran Fires 4 Deadly Missiles; Kheibar-Shekan, Fateh, Zolfaghar & Emad Slam US Bases
Hindustan Times
Jul 20, 2026 #Iran #Trump #USIran

Iran has released new footage showcasing multiple ballistic missiles it says were used in strikes targeting U.S. military bases, while senior officials issued fresh warnings that any further escalation would carry serious consequences. The video highlights missiles identified as the Kheibar Shekan, Fateh, Zolfaghar and Emad, underscoring Tehran's emphasis on solid-fuel systems capable of rapid launch. The developments come as reports say the human toll among U.S. forces continues to rise following the latest round of hostilities.



Transcript

As American military losses continue to mount amid this escalating war, Iran has now issued perhaps its most defiant message yet, signaling it has no intention of backing down. You won't be safe either. This chilling message written directly onto one of Iran's missiles before launch was clearly aimed straight at Trump and his administration. [music] Iran has released a new wave of strike footage in the aftermath of hitting American targets, showcasing its missile [music] capabilities in unusually direct and public fashion.

Iran reportedly fired four distinct missile types in a single massive strike on American bases, [music] demonstrating the sheer diversity of its ballistic arsenal in this operation. Captured on camera, Iran unleashed its Kaibar Shakon [music] missile as American bases across the region came under sustained and coordinated fire. The Fate 110, the Zulfagar, and the Ahmad formed a deadly trio of IRGC missiles that reportedly wre havoc across multiple targeted sites. This heavily solid fuel ballistic arsenal signals that Iran can now [music] launch strikes fast and with very little advance warning, sharply narrowing any window for response.

Are Iran's deadliest missiles now genuinely ready to take Trump's forces head-on, marking a dramatic shift from defensive [music] posturing to direct offensive confrontation? All of this unfolds as America's death toll keeps climbing steadily following this dramatic escalation in the war with Iran. With no clear end yet in sight, has the IRGC now unveiled its most dangerous capability yet in this conflict? One that has reportedly killed three American soldiers within a single window alone.

One American troop was reportedly killed while attempting to safely destroy debris left behind from a downed Iranian drone, turning a routine cleanup operation fatal. The wreckage of a downed Iranian drone ended up killing a US soldier inside northern Iraq, highlighting the unexpected dangers still present even after these drones are intercepted. This latest death comes just after an earlier Iranian strike inside Jordan had already killed two American troops, adding to [music] a rapidly growing casualty count across the region. Beyond the confirmed deaths, another American soldier remains missing in the aftermath of that same attack, leaving his fate still unknown to military officials.

The official count now stands at 17 US troops dead. But is the real toll about to climb even higher as more incidents continue to unfold across multiple fronts? More than 400 American soldiers have now been injured in this ongoing war with Iran, revealing a scale of casualties far larger than official death tolls alone suggest. Between relentless drone strikes, incoming missiles, and a growing list of missing troops, America's war losses are now mounting at an alarmingly fast and accelerating pace.

Is any American military base across the Gulf region truly safe anymore? Or has Iran shattered that illusion once and for all? Watch as dramatic footage appears to capture Iran launching a devastating strike on a US military base in Jordan, exposing the Gulf battlefield. Shocking visuals show Iran's deadly missile barrage slamming into a US base in Jordan with devastating force and precision.

3 minutesWatch as massive explosions rip through Jordan [music] with one US soldier still missing and four others reportedly injured in the attack. This comes after Donald Trump ordered missile and drone strikes against Iran for an unprecedented eighth consecutive day of military operations. Are America's regional allies secretly helping Iran target [music] US air bases with precise intelligence? or is something even more alarming unfolding behind the scenes?

After allegations of intelligence leaks involving Jordan, attention is now shifting to another key US ally in the Gulf. Has Kuwait become the latest flash point in Iran's campaign against American military deployments across the region? Why is the IRGC openly urging Kuwaitis to [music] oppose the presence of American forces on their soil? in a strongly worded statement.

Is Thran making its most ambitious and controversial claim of the conflict so far? As the IRGC expands its [music] list of alleged targets beyond Israel to US military installations across the Gulf, the regional stakes appear to be 4 minutesrising dramatically. In one of its strongest statements yet, the IRGC declared that every Muslim has a duty to eliminate them, referring to American forces stationed in Kuwait. The rhetoric marks a significant escalation in Iran's messaging and is likely to draw strong [music] international condemnation.

Thran has issued a blunt warning that Kuwait must not allow its territory to be used as [music] a launchpad for future American military operations against Iran. The statement underscores the growing pressure on Gulf nations as [music] tensions between Washington and Thran continue to escalate. Has Iran opened an entirely new front in the Gulf? Here's what Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has to say.

and I quote, "Honorable people of Kuwait, parts of your Islamic land have been under the occupation of the infidel American military for years, and it has been used as a base for killing the Muslims of Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, and Palestine. 140 days ago, the child-killing American army used these very bases to launch a war against us. The beginning of which was the slaughter of 168 school children 5 minutesat the Minab school and the martyrdom of the most prominent religious scholar of the current era, the martyr Imam Kamee. The land of Kuwait should not be a safe haven for a terrorist army that has attacked at least 10 Islamic countries in the last few decades and killed millions of Muslims.

This army is according to the fatwars of scholars of all Islamic sects and denominations an aggressor against Muslim lands and its blood is forfeit. It is the duty of every Muslim to eliminate them by any means possible and cleanse Muslim lands of their filthy presence. We expect you to rise to this religious duty and restore [music] the dignity of Islamic lands. Our brave fighters in wave 22 of the Nosatu operation cenamed with the holy name Ya Rukaya peace be [music] upon her in response to repeated American aggressions against Iranian soil completely destroyed an enemy American early warning radar system via a drone strike.

Furthermore, in another attack, they struck a shed for aviation equipment and parts and a hanger for American MQ9 drones at the Ali Al Salem base, setting several drones on fire. We expect you, [music] the honorable and noble nation of Kuwait, to rise to your divine duty and not allow Kuwaiti soil to be a source of evil and the killing of Muslims. The IRGC claims its latest strike targeted a US early warning radar [music] installation and an MQ9 Reaper drone hanger in Kuwait, alleging significant damage to key American military infrastructure. However, these battlefield [music] claims have not been independently verified by US or Kuwaiti authorities.

In a fiery statement directed at the people of Kuwait, the IRGC accused the United States of occupying their land and using it to wage wars across the Middle [music] East. The statement also urged Kuwaitis to oppose the continued presence of American forces, sharply escalating Thran's rhetoric against Washington. These developments come as Iran continues to claim that its recent missile and drone operations caught US forces by surprise in neighboring Jordan. While Thran portrays the attacks as a major military success, the full extent of the alleged damage remains unconfirmed by independent [music] sources.

Did Iran's latest wave of 7 minutesstrikes really destroy 20 US military hangers inside Jordan and leave dozens of American soldiers dead? The explosive claims are spreading rapidly, but what has actually been confirmed? And what remains part of Iran's official narrative? Did intelligence allegedly provided by Jordanian citizens or insiders [music] help Iran identify and target American military positions?

As the IRGC publicly thanks [music] unnamed local sources, major questions are emerging over whether any such assistance actually took place. Were US C17 transport aircraft and other military assets destroyed at Akaba airport or is the claim being exaggerated? We examine the timeline of events, the competing narratives, and what evidence [music] has surfaced so far. The IRGC claims its operation caught Jordan's allies completely offguard while publicly thanking [music] local individuals for allegedly providing crucial intelligence.

But how credible are [music] these assertions? And what could they mean for Jordan's security establishment and its regional partnerships? Iran claims its missiles and drones struck American C17 transport aircraft and P8 maritime surveillance [music] planes stationed at Akoba during the operation. If these claims are accurate, it would mark one of the most significant attacks on US military assets in the region, but independent verification remains limited.

The IRGC says the 21st and 22nd waves of operation NOSA 2 unleashed another round of coordinated missile and drone strikes against US military targets. Thran is describing the attacks as devastating successes, although many of the battlefield claims have yet to be independently confirmed. Iran launched a fresh wave of missiles at US military targets. across the Middle East.

As the conflict entered another dangerous phase, multiple missile launches were reported from different parts of Iran, signaling a broad escalation in the regional confrontation. Kuwait said its air defenses engaged hostile Iranian drones after detecting multiple aerial threats entering its airspace. Statement by general staff of Kuwaiti armed forces [music] said, and I quote, "Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting attacks by hostile drones following the sinful Iranian aggression. The general staff of the army notes that any explosion sounds heard are the result of air defense systems intercepting [music] the hostile attacks.

" unquote. Bahrain activated air raid sirens and [music] urged residents to seek shelter as regional missile threats intensified. The US embassy warned that central Manama could face potential threats as security conditions rapidly deteriorated. Statement by US embassy in Bahrain said, and [music] I quote, "The US embassy has information to suggest that Iran may seek to target unspecified locations in central Manama.

" The IRGC claimed responsibility for a second attack targeting the US military base at Altanf in southeastern Syria. Iranian linked reports said the latest operation struck a [music] US special operations command center in what they described as a surprise attack. The IRGC claimed it launched missile strikes targeting US military aircraft at Jordan's Alazra air base during [music] its latest operation. The IRGC said the missile attack inflicted what it described as severe damage on several American military assets at the base.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed local Jordanian sources provided intelligence that [music] helped identify US military targets. The IRGC claimed its strikes destroyed 20 hangers used by US forces at Alazra air base in Jordan. Iran also claimed the attack damaged [music] US C17 military transport aircraft and P8 maritime surveillance aircraft stationed at the base. Iran's latest missile campaign came as the United States carried out a ninth consecutive night of strikes on Iranian target.

[admin]

Pepe Escobar: Yemeni Missiles DESTROY Saudi Oil Tankers, US B-2 Bombers SURGE to Iran!
Danny Haiphong
Streamed live 3 hours ago #Iran #Yemen #SaudiArabia

Pepe Escobar discusses the Bab el-Mandeb Strait on fire as Yemen a strikes Saudi tankers carrying 500,000 barrels of oil and Iran prepares for a US B-2 bomber attack with devastating strikes of its own on US bases.



Transcript

Welcome back to the show everyone. As you can see, Pepe Escobar is here joining me to break down the latest news
where we begin with Yemen. Uh last night overnight, Yemen struck two Saudi oil
tankers, the Enelia and Leila with ballistics missiles and drones. They also turned back nine others. This
report says 10 total since the blockade began in the Red Sea. These tankers that were struck were carrying 500,000
barrels of oil. And to make uh I guess matters worse for Saudi Arabia and the
US-led uh petrod dollar system, two Chinese-owned tankers were carrying around 4 million barrels of crude, Saudi
crude from Yamu were allowed to pass through the Red Sea. So we have some interesting selected developments there.
$100 per barrel oil is back on as Yemen's blockade as well as Iran's
1 minutesuccessful retaliation to US strikes continues the war unabated.
Now, uh Pepe, I know that you're writing about this. Iran's retaliation to US strikes. The United States struck TW uh struck Iran for the 12th straight night.
Iran retaliated saying that it struck another US base in Jordan, the King Fisal air base, hitting a THAAD defense
radar system, missile defense radar system, a Patriot system, and other radars and heavy military equipment like
helicopter hangers. Iran also says that it hit Kuwait very hard. There was reports that a power station was hit in
Kuwait, but the IRGC says that it was ammunitions, logistics, fuel storage, and ammunition depots hit. So, Pepe, uh
this is a major development, the Yemen uh blockade. Uh we also have Trump saying that he's ready to go further against Iran, telling Israel that this
2 minutescould happen at any point in the next coming days. B2 bombers and the like likely going after Pak Mountain and
other nuclear sites. But I'm curious, PB, what's what do you make of this major move by Yemen and uh how does it fit into the overall scheme of the war?
Okay. Uh good to be with you, Danny.
Good to be with our global audience. Of course, here from my garden in the middle of NATO stand. Uh, a little bit
of protection against all the horrors upon us. Leila, when I saw that, well, in my mind, my
mind was playing Leila by Derek and the dominoes with some absolutely extraordinary sorrows by Eric Lapton.
So, this is what these things uh do to baby boomers like myself. And Leila is a very important name in the Muslim world
as well. Well, Yemen, one of my favorite subjects as many of
you know. And this week, earlier this week, I had a chance to ask one of my dearest Yemeni friends, why now?
Why are you blocking? You're not blocking the Bab al-Mandde. Of course, you're blocking the Babal Mandep to Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea at Band to Saudi Arabia.
And we'll be back to it. By the way, very, very important, and this was confirmed. Apparently, the Saudis in
Muscat in Oman, they made a sort of a proposition to the Yemenes and that was
refused point blank immediately, like some sort of accommodation. This happened two or three days ago. But
earlier this week, my Yemeni friend, his answer was absolutely extraordinary.
And uh for many of us, I would say unpredictable and unexpected.
He said that Yemen intel which works closely of course with Iranian intel but
they are totally independent as I had the privilege to see by myself last year when I visited Yemen.
They came to the conclusion that the Americans are ready to launch a massive operation but not only against Iran as
the viferator in chief has been saying uh lately it would be against the whole
axis of resistance. This means Ansarala Hezbollah Iran hashtal shabi in Iraq.
So they conceived this uh blockade against a blockade or if you read the official Yemen
uh statement, a siege against a siege as a preemptive move against this American attack, this possible American attack.
There are rumors all across West Asia that this could be tomorrow night in the middle of the night, Friday to Saturday,
there will be uh middle of the night early early morning middle of the night Saturday in West Asia.
And uh uh this preemptive move was something that they had already calculated before but then chose
this to be the right moment after those two faithful flights. Mahan air flights,
Iranian Airbus, Iranian pilots. First uh they broke the blockade by first
going to Sana, flying from Tehran to Sana to pick up the Yemeni delegation that was transported to Iran for the
funeral rights of uh Ayat Kame and then again they broke the blockade back all
over again flying from Tehran to Sana to a return a great deal of the Yemen delegations plus other Yemenes who were
in uh Thran or other parts of Iran for several reasons. The plane was absolutely packed. So returning to Sun
as the plane was approaching Sun International Airport, the runway was bombed by the Saudis and
the pilot, a real hero, had to do a Hail Mary 90 degrees turn west and he landed
in the Heda port by the Red Sea. And once again, I never cease to repeat
this. It was really a miracle from God because the runway of Heda had been repaired only a few days before.
If there was no uh um runway, he would crash in the Red Sea literally with all his passengers.
So after that, the Yemenes went two to one immediately.
So they attacked us. Okay. 2 to1. So they attacked uh Saudi military base and a Saudi civilian base and they said
there will be more and this there will be more is now the Saudi uh the blockade
of Saudi ports in the Red Sea especially Yamu because Yamu is where uh the East
West pipeline u arrives and from Yamu the Saudis can export 4.5 million PL
more or less barrels of oil a day. Now they cannot. They have to go through Sue
and do a circumnavigation of Africa to provide oil for their Asian customers. A nightmare for everybody. But that's it.
That's the only way for them. Or they are stuck. And there are dozens of Saudi tankers stuck around Yamu.
All oiled up with nowhere to go. But it gets better. If you are a Saudi tanker,
but if you are exporting oil to China, you can leave Yamboo. You can cross the
bubble band and you can keep going. If you are a western tanker transporting
Saudi AO to anywhere, forget it. That's it. The gate of lamentation, Bab
al-Madab, is close to you and there's no plan B.
So once again, why now? Well, first of all, they can finally
uh impress to the Saudis that the illegal blockade of Yemen, which has been going on for 11 and a half years,
9 minuteshas to go. Totally illegal. And by the way, there is anouou
between Riyad and Sana and bombing at the uh S international airports. The
Saudis broke theou. So now the the Yemenes are saying okay you break it, we break it as well. So now this thisou has
gone up in flames as well. So this is point number one. uh the uh their reply to Saudi Arabia, direct reply to Saudi
Arabia and they are now they are imposing the conditions for Saudi Arabia for any sort of agreement. This has to
be solved diplomatically. The Pakistanis already this is very very important as well. The Pakistanis
already told the Saudis directly and they have a military pact very very important stand.
This was confirmed by our Larry and I, our uh Pakistani mediator sources in Islamabad because Pakistan the last
thing they need at the moment is to be dragged into the war alongside Saudi Arabia against the axis
of resistance is not only against Ye, it will be against Iran as well. And it
took them months to conquer uh uh Iran's uh trust especially as trustworthy
mediators. It's a very complex process but essentially they keep talking in the beginning of this week there was an Iran
an Iranian delegation in Islamabad discussing very very serious issues. So the Pakistanis are not blowing that up
because the Saudis made an absolutely stupid move like this one.
Much much more. Uh the big picture of this thing is that the Yemenes may have preempted a little bit of this possible
American attack against the axis of resistance because they introduced a new uh a new issue a new vector in the
equation that complicates the whole thing immensely which is Baba Mandem. So there is
already a partial blockade of the Bab almond which is already in terms of for the global economy is an extra disaster.
Everybody was waiting for when are they going to block the Bab okay this is what
20 30 40%. you you ain't seen nothing yet, but it will come. And once again,
refuting all those trademark stupidities vomited by uh western news agencies.
Well, uh I'm sure everybody you guys you all know I am a newspaper man. I started my career in a big news national
newspaper. So we know everything we need to know about how neos agencies work and how we evade them like a plague.
So these uh usual suspects writers AP whatever are saying ah the hooties they cannot even name them properly it's
Ansarala or Yemen armed forces hooti is a family anyway they are waiting for uh
an order from to cross the bondab this is not how it works this is their
decision Abdul Malik al- Huti on top as the leader the political council 11 members
I had the privilege to meet at least five of them in sana and sada last year and then there's the parliament their
majies everything is debated between the leader the political council and the majist and when it's approved then it's
a final decision which was exactly the procedure before they arrived at this
13 minutesdecision to block the red sea and the babep to Saudi Arabia exclusively, not
everybody. Well, Israel for obvious reasons, but in this case, Saudi Arabia.
So, so this is the Yemen uh uh dossier as we speak. It can get much much worse
depending on the Saudi response. For the moment, the Saudis are standing down.
Apparently, the Pakistanis uh you know, they read their own riot act to the to the Saudis. They said, "Look, it's not
because we have a military uh uh pact, which was upgraded, by the way, a few weeks ago, that we're going to be
suicidal and and support you in this absolutely stupid move. So, nothing's going to happen on this front." So, this is it.
Uh uh Danny, [laughter] let's a summary of where the Yemen situation is at the moment.
Yeah. Well, it's it's certainly a big development in the broader uh you know this this broader uh context
of the the war which you know I wanted to pull up the the report by Israel's channel 12. It's also our friend at unit
8200 Mos Barack Ravid Barack Ravid has also reported on this that Trump is
considering a massive attack larger than anything carry out before in the coming days which you just mentioned Yemen appeared to be very aware of uh that was
going to that's going to happen literally at the time you just said uh Yemen already knew so that's coming it seems like B2 bombers B1 bombers they
are amassing uh in the region likely to start uh targeting areas like Picax Mountain. But
Iran Pepe does not seem to be very intimidated. And I want to pull up this.
This was uh Muhammad Ali Baf, envoy to China, top negotiator, speaker of the parliament. He put out this meme. They
wanted to punish Iran, punish themselves with tripledigit oil instead. 20 10 out of 10 strategy. And here's the meme. Uh there you see it. world US economy.
Let's blockade Iran. Easy peasy. And then $150 boil as an oil. Global recession. $7 gas per gallon. On and on.
Iran did it. Um, just maybe you could talk about what you've been covering now with how Iran
has been striking back and the fact that Iran, no matter how much the Trump administration threatens, even if it carries out this threat, bombing Pickax
Mountain, it doesn't seem like Iran is anywhere to the point where it'll back down. It seems quite the opposite.
On the contrary, on the contrary, Danny. Wow.
And this is something that became quite clear earlier this week uh via the
Iranian delegation meeting with literally everyone in the position of power in Islamabad. Larry
and I in in in our new channel transition protocol, we cover that in detail three days in a row. Uh it's
useful to do a recap to you and to our audience because uh the Iranian message
uh which was delivered by the way in person by uh the Iranian um interior minister
to the Pakistanis to everybody to the prime minister to his counterpart to field marshal simir everybody
theoretically even If the Pakistanis as mediators
arrived at uh something like okay let's establish try to establish a pause and
the Americans would agree. The Iranians said we would also agree because they never discard diplomacy. And this is
something that Arashi has been saying throughout this week. We always consider diplom as long as it's real diplom.
But for us to agree to something like that, the Americans will have to come back to the table and start implementing
theou as they signed and as our prize our president signed from uh minute one.
So this was delivered by the rand delegation to the Pakistanis. So the Pakistanis delivered this information to the White House and guess what happened
afterwards? Trump vetoed even a pause. He said is illogical, absurd and all that. And then he came
back to I'm going to bomb Iran to smith the rings all over again. So this once again proved to the Iranians that is
okay. It's ab anything is impossible with this narcissistic megalomaniac
taking. In fact, he's not making any decisions. They're making the decisions for him. It's just a messenger anyway. So there's no possibility of diplomacy.
So and they are ready. So everything that Galibbath says for instance is we are open to diplomacy but we have our
finger on the tri and is now it's not going to be uh it's already not two to one. Now it's 3 to one or four to one or
5 to one or systematically destroying all these bases that they are bombing
day after day. Once again very important there are around 20 bases around Persian
Gulf and also including Jordan etc. Apparently only four are not completely damaged or partially damaged.
Only four. The other 16 are in an absolutely horrible condition.
Everything to totally destroy to almost totally destroyed. And they continue to bomb them day after day. And that's it.
This is not no they are not not only they are not going to relent, but once again
they are f there are some leaks but not so not not so because they leaked that before. Look, we haven't even started in terms of our mo most modern equipment.
We're going to start using it soon. And of course, they are leaving that for the next stage of the war because they know the next stage is going to be probably more devastating than the previous one.
So there is a consensus from the political factor to the military factor
from leader Mustava Kame to the national security council to all the provincial leadership you name it everything
clerical, religious, diplomatic, political, economic and military.
We are ready because this might be the final battle before we expel them for good. So this is the mentality and
obviously nobody in the Trump administration is capable intellectually
to understand that or even from a basic geopolitical point of view to understand what that means
and why there is absolutely no way they can do anything. They can throw zillions
of nuclear tactical weapons against Iran. It's not going to break them. And they're ready to fight to the last Iranian. Literally.
Literally. This means 90 million people in arms.
If if that's the case. So in terms of national cohesion, this is already an expression of what happened during that
week where we had millions of people in the streets of Tehran, K Mashad, but
also uh in Najaf and Carbala in Iraq, everybody united. And the moto, what was the moto in the streets? Revenge.
Somebody has to pay. And they know exactly who has to pay. How they're going to pay is another matter. And Iran
has the means to deliver the how the way they want it on top of it because they control the clock. And they know at the
same time that the clock is running out for the Trump administration.
Everybody in the position of power in Iran knows about the strategic petroleum reserve. Everybody Everybody knows it and they make their calculations accordingly.
They are patient. Uh they als they cultivate the mediators, the Pakistanis, eventually the Omanis or the Qataris.
Uh they listen to if there's something coming out of Turkey, for instance, they listen to it. Although it's usually
[ __ ]
but they don't discard diplomacy at all.
And at the same time, they're looking at the clock, looking at what might happen, for instance, between today and
Saturday early in the morning if there is a an attack and looking at the longer clock until mid August or end of August.
It's going to be much worse. Is there a way out for all of the above?
Yes. Only one. No other. the off-ramp inbuilt in the memorandum of
understanding and the Iranians have made this very very clear not only to the Pakistani mediators but so the Pakistani mediators
can talk to Trump and tell him and even worse than that and this was revealed by the Pakistani mediators
again Trump has been pestering Field Marshall a singer throughout last week with daily phone calls
please find a way to bring the Iranians back to the table in a manner that would not be humiliating for me.
And these are the guys who are on the table. This this is privileged information because it contradicts
everything that's being viferated on true social about ah the mulers want to make a deal [ __ ] is the absolute opposite
because as dumb as he may be, he's looking at the clock and every day the clock [laughter]
the clock is is like a medusa, you know, opening her mouth and you know engulfing
[laughter]
completely. You know, you cannot fight against this clock. This is the clock of reality, the oil reality. the oil
reality for the American economy, for the global economy, etc.
o, we have these uh diversionist tactics like we're going to blow up the pickaxe mountain or whatever, you know,
[ __ ]
or we're going to take Car Island or we're going to take over Cashem Island, whatever. Everybody knows this is
[ __ ] Even if you could take it, you cannot hold it.
You'd probably be worse off trying to hold it.
[laughter]
You know, it's like, "Come on, hit me." It's like, "What? I don't get it." It's like, "Hit me." That's That's what the runners are saying.
Hit me. We're waiting for you.
Yeah. What do they say? Um, come closer was the motto, I think, early in the war, right?
Come closer. We're here. We are We are all over here. And we have our missiles and drones pointing at you.
Wow.
At the moment, of course, at the moment, uh the bigger picture, which which is my favorite subject, which is the larger
picture across Eurasia, it's uh the other two big players,
Russia and China, are paying extremely close attention to what's going on in
Iran. Not only they are learning in military terms, exchanging
information, supplying information, helping logistically, helping with intelligence, etc. But they know that
what Iran will be able to pull off in the next few days, weeks, and months
will condition everything in terms of uh the larger American war against the Eurasian big powers.
We're not there yet because Iran is a middle power which is aspiring to become
a big power in regionally for sure but one of the big powers across Eurasia. No question
in terms of Iranian civilization and Iranian Iran as a civilizational state. Uh this is normal for them in history.
They had much more ups than downs and influence, cultural influence, religious influence, spiritual influence,
historical influence. But Russia and China, they know that this war is against them as well. Russia of course
is already on the war against them. And now they took they're taking off the velvet gloves. So the West has not seen anything yet.
and they saw already in front of them how Iran taking off the velvet gloves
absolutely scares the deaths out of the American empire.
So this is what the global south is watching. Wow, we have a middle power under sanctions of 47 years taking their
gloves off and attacking the American with even more fiercely than they are being attacked. So it can be done.
If you are sovereign independent, then you have the weapons. It can be done. In the case of Russia, it's even easier because they're sovereign independent and have had the best weapons anywhere.
They were just trying to refrain themselves because they saw that the Ukrainians are a brotherly people. No, they are. They are bunch of brainwashed
Nazis. Finally, this this arrived at the top in Moscow. Finally.
And China, of course, in the in the background, they are looking everywhere.
They are looking they are evaluating very carefully that the campaign of demonization of China now is back in full force.
So they can expect trouble in every front coming from the Americans and especially cornered a cornered American administration.
o this is the bigger picture and um there is a um for instance I think it was Trump that
started this in one of his uh viferations probably advised by one of his advisors he talked about the Eurasian axis.
This was the first time, correct me if I'm wrong, that Trump actually strung out these two words together,
Eurasian and Axis. I never saw Trump talk about Eurasia ever. So now he's
talking about Eurasian axis. So probably somebody like uh Kobe had five minutes with him and I said,
"Look, we are fighting a Eurasian axis." Well, you know, everything that you say about Iran, uh, China and Russia, this
is what they are. And is worse, uh, North Korea is also part of it. And
these four happen to be existential threats to the US according to the national security doctrine, which by the way was redacted by Kobe. Who else?
Yeah. So, uh, I read something about this.
Duging published uh in fact a long interview with Duging where he talks about Eurasian axis. This is the first
serious analysis of what an Eurasian axis might be in fact would be a
military axis. that that's his uh point and why if you don't have an Eurasian
military access the west especially the US will continue to dictate the terms on everything and Eurasia will be only reacting.
This is a really really good point which merits uh debate. I I plan to write a column about this soon,
analyzing the the points of view from Iran, from Russia and from China separately and then trying to merge them all and if
uh the political leadership in Iran, Russia and China is actually discussing
something like this. Apparently not, as far as we can tell and if they are, forget about any leaks about it.
So, so this is where this is the big picture. In fact, now the empire is terrified that they finally seem to be
understanding that this is the war that they started now against three
civilization states whose number one drive is to expel the United States from Eurasia.
And that process is starting in West Asia. Everybody thought it would be in uh Russia, Ukraine. No, it's starting
once again in the battlefield, but in West Asia.
So, it's no wonder that they are uh you know like uh uh drunken cockroaches, you know. There no it's no wonder. And what
what is their plan? Okay, let's bomb them again. Will that solve anything? Of course not.
When you are against a determined uh adversary which is a civilization state which knows that this is an existential
war their survival depends on it for bye-bye. You already lost even before you you started.
Yeah. Yeah. I mean the the evidence is mounting of this Pepe. I don't know if you've noticed this, but every time the
United States and now the Trump Donald Trump himself constantly threatens Iran with more and
more severe strikes, consequences. This is nothing new. Um, what I've noticed is that those threats
are becoming more specific, while what Sentcom says they're doing to Iran in 12 straight days has only gotten more and
more vague. So, Sentcom has reported every single night on their strikes. And in the beginning, they would say how
many targets they hit specifically numbers wise. They would say 80, 90, 50, 40. Now nothing like this. Now it's
almost copy and paste. We struck these, right? Always the same thing. Maritime capabilities, missile, drones, surveillance, air defense assets over
and over and over again, degrading Iran's ability to attack commercial vessels. It's like copy and paste, but there's no details anymore. And then I
want to play you Pepe what Marco Rubio said about this blockade with Hansala because while Trump said we may have to take care of it, we may have to take
care of Yemen supposed, you know, that in his uh uh typical nonchalant bluster here is uh Marco Rubio's answer was a
little different in terms of how to address this blockade.
We're hoping to that there would be deescalation in the in the Red Sea and and the Houthis now attack two ship, two Saudi ships. What is your reaction to
that? Yeah, look, I hope that they'll stop. They shouldn't really do that.
They got suckered into this by the Iranians. You know, the Houthis largely were smart and stayed out of all this uh throughout the the conflict, but um they
now apparently have gotten themselves suckered into this going after Saudi Arabia and their ships. And and by the way, that's you know, I was reading reports a few hours ago that there was
actually a Saudi fuel ship that's flagged Chinese. It's a Chinese ship.
Are they going to blow up the Chinese ship and this becomes a problem for China? This will become a a problem for the whole world. But I hope that will deescalate because I think the Houthies
frankly got snookered into this thing by by the Iranians and um and and they were smart to stay out of it and they should stay out of it and they should stop.
We'll see what happens there. Obviously it's not a positive development. We'll see what happen.
We'll see what happens. You know uh interestingly enough talking about oh China might get hurt by this. China's having their, you know, having their oil be sent.
He doesn't he [laughter] doesn't even know that this does not affect uh u tankers uh uh exporting oil to China. He
he he on top of it is a secretary of state who well he doesn't read [ __ ] and he's horribly misinformed. He cannot
point to in a map this little. It's a it's a joke actually. I hope they stop. I hope they stop.
That's his answer. I hope they which is not the really the um projection of power that one might assume the United
States would uh I hope this stops. Okay. Why don't you pick up the phone and call Sana, idiot?
[laughter]
Ask them to stop. By the way, they beat you up badly. They expelled you from the Red Sea.
So, you know, treat them um as a gentleman. maybe they will consider you. They're very gracious and polite people.
Yeah. So that's what's so interesting about this Pepe is and I know you wrote in your uh recent piece I'll pull it up
um on the uh uh Pakistan uh you knowou Iran diplomatic front and
I I highlighted this part here where you said the consequences of Iran holding total leverage where you do get into uh the Babo Vendev straight being loaded
not necessarily closed which is true now that we know that Saudi oil particular particularly and even
specifically Saudi oil to the petrod dollar kingdom of the United States. I mean or of the west that's uh that's a
huge deal but you know maybe you could talk about this article and uh what what what you talk about when it comes to Iran's total leverage because I've heard
so many things from people saying Iran has lost its leverage. I've heard people talking about how there's all these great divides in Iranian leadership that
36 minutesI think they exist, but right now what we're seeing and Larry made this point on our other program, Larry Johnson, he said we're seeing across the board from
Arachi, Galibbach, the IRGC, they all sound the same right now. So that's uh I think that's an important development as well. your thoughts. Maybe you can help
us understand what you wrote on this article and how very important and and something that in is very important for uh our audience.
Larry and I when we receive top explosive information from the Pakistani mediators.
He confronts with his American sources. I confront with my Iranian sources. Sometimes they are divergences.
This is extremely important. We are not taking uh what we receive from Pakistan at face value. We cannot
and this is one of the reasons why we are involved in this project. We have uh the chance and the privilege to have
access to privileged information really on the negotiating table. Everybody has agendas of course. So we have to sift
through the agendas. Pakistani, Omani, Qatari, Saudi
and of course see the information for itself and of course if we're not satisfied
there are uh questions flowing around all the time and uh some of them are uh
absolutely uh essential. For instance, if they say that something happened between in a conversation which only
very few people have access to this privilege conversation, we have to be sure that this is what really happened.
For instance, I'll give an example of a a relative misunderstanding.
When the Iranian delegation arrived earlier this week in Islamabad, they they told the uh Pakistanis before
that they were bringing a letter from uh leader Moraba Kame.
When they got there, they said, "Look, it's not an actual letter. We have a message." So, we had to back and forth ask, "Are
you sure there was a letter?" Because in the beginning, we also thought there was a letter. No, was a message. Who wrote this message? Then there are several
possibilities. Could have been Mustava himself. Could have been his very tight inner circle. Could have been the
Supreme National Security Council, a collegiate decision. Could have been Galibbah or Arashi, you name it. But the
most important point is that this message arrived at the Pakistanis and was debated with their prime minister
and with a simir and this the key uh was the the tone of the message and the message this was the
indirect message to the Americans. If you want anything or a pause or whatever, okay, but you have to fulfill
your commitments to the MOU because the Iranians already knew from the beginning that it would be rejected and it was rejected like clockwork. But the point
is Fer and I, we have to establish at least the veracity of the information even if some details are lost in the fog of war. Let's put it this way.
So uh in in terms of the relationship between the Pakistanis as mediators and the Iranians, yes, there is trust. And
this delegation that went to Islamabad earlier this week is another extra proof. There is trust.
If for instance, one of my Iranian sources said, uh leader Moraba is not talking to anybody in Pakistan.
Well, you can interpret this as obviously physically he can't. Number two, he's not sending emails back and
forth. Number three, if he sends a letter, it's not necessarily a letter that he writes. It could be his inner
circle, but they are in contact because the Pakistanis when they ask something very important from Thran,
they want to be absolutely sure that it comes at the top because then they'll be passing this information to uh the Trump White House.
So they are in a very very complicated position. We Larry and I we understand that and another thing that most people
armchair experts don't understand what we are doing has nothing to do with what we feel about uh the current
Pakistani government. It's a completely different story. Larry and I were interested in the intel and when it's
precious is really quite something. So if we have a chance to receive that and then you know to talk about it in our
show or here with you or in other podcasts or or writing great. This does not mean that we are h following the
agenda of the current uh system of government in Islamabad. No way. Absolutely not.
[snorts]
Yeah. Well, I think that's a very important point because uh often times in developments like this, the the I
mean, you know, the mediating position, the mediator position, the position that a country like Pakistan is in, uh it
goes beyond the interests of just like individual regimes or political uh entities like Pakistan. This is a this
is a major regional and global development that um yeah regardless of whoever is in leadership of Pakistan they probably be working their butts off
to try to uh be involved in the process of easing this thing and they are and they are Tenny and these people are the people who are
actually working on the table they are very very serious and they are working their butts off 247 and obviously they are desperate because everything is
going down downhill because of the actions of the American president even when can can you imagine something
more stupid and more absurd? This is theater of the absurd at uh you know the
president of the United States keeps calling Field Marshall Simonyer and said look get me something get me an offramp anything as long as the Uranus come back
to the table when there is the possibility of the Uranus coming back to the table if he fulfills his commitments
to the MOU he rejects it. It doesn't make any sense at all. At all.
No. Yeah. And to explain to our, you know, our enormous global audience, people need to
know how these things work in the background.
They will learn nothing if they keep reading through social posts. Really, nothing less than nothing.
Yep. That's I mean that no trueer statement ever told, Pepe. Now here is uh I want your reaction to given all
these developments you just outlined here uh help understand and explain your reaction to this. You know Donald Trump
this is a true social post. Donald Trump uh just agreed with Saudi Arabia around
this so-called uh nuclear enrichment uh or not enrichment civil nuclear deal it's being called with Saudi Arabia and
he had to explain because there you know there's been a lot of questions about this even among especially among the Israelis um especially
and even some western countries saying that this might be troublesome but it says the civil nuclear deal there will be no enrichment being made between the US department of energy Saudi Arabia,
which pertains only to non-military use, such as the ones that Iran and the UAE already have, will be approved, but is totally subject to Saudi Arabia joining
the very successful Abraham Accords. The United States is not opposed to civil nuclear facilities, non-enriched. Thank you for your attention. Is it this feel
this is just so rich? I mean, what's the timing of this is so strange, but also maybe it's not. Maybe you can help me help me understand, help the audience
understand what the hell is going on here with Saudi Arabia now engaging in a nuclear deal with the United States, which undermines a lot of Trump's
position. And now he's saying he's okay with civil nuclear facilities. But he basically claims that all of Iran's nuclear uh uh you know, facilities are
all military nuclear uh weapons based, which of course is Bush or
Iran nuclear program. The IAEA certified that Iran runs a new a civilian nuclear
program. As for this post, Danny, it was obviously written in Tel Aviv.
Obviously, when when you when you look at Abraham Accords, obviously. And then they told Trump, "Yeah, you do this
because we want Saudis back to the Abraham Accords." Period. That's it. That's it. Straight up.
And the fact that they managed to do this once again proves how they run the game.
It's it's very impressive in itself.
They can force the president of the United States to do something like this which everybody is going to say ah so now we can enrich uranium as well.
Everybody can enrich uranium. Fantastic.
What if we do enrich Iran running and we lie [laughter] and we we enrich more than we should and why these are the these rules are
okay for Saudi Arabia but not okay for Iran which has a civilian nuclear program. But the key two words in this
post are Abraham Accords which by the way were dead until today.
Now they could be resuscitated alongside IMAC which is also dead
because obviously IMAC with uh Saudi Arabia and the Emirates in the same uh in the same connectivity corridor linked to Israel.
Forget it. Iran will never let that happen.
So this is where we are once again. uh the war of the connectivity corridors of course one that is active which is the
INTSC uh Russia uh Iran India by the way bombed by the Americans several nodes
including the port of Shabahar and one that exists only uh in the minds of uh some uh demented people in Tel Aviv the
IMAC which even the uh name is fake It's not India Middle East corridor.
47 minutesIt's Israel, Arab nations, Europe, India corridor. In fact, with Israel at the
center because everything they still have to they have to build the connections between Israel
uh Emirates and uh Saudi Arabia for Israel to become a key energy exporting
pole to Europe and to India. This is what the IMAC is about. In the middle of this war, forget it. It's not going to
happen. Even after this war, depending where it goes, it won't happen.
But of course, the Israelis have the power to dictate to the president of the United States. Look, let's time to resurrect the Abraham Accords, which by the way would help to resurrect IMAC.
That's where we are.
[snorts]
Yeah. Well, it's it almost feels like, you know, while both Israel and the United States pursue a very
aligned uh quote unquote foreign policy or or regional policy, totally.
The the dynamic here in terms of the optics does feel like Israel uh pulling strings, Israel pulling strings to say, "Hey, could you revise?
Could you could you maybe repackage this uh product that you just put out there with the Saudi deal? Um and that then
begs the question as to Saudi Arabia like what is Saudi Arabia thinking here because
there's also there's this blockade but then there's also all kind I mean Yamu was supposed to be the safe was supposed to be the saving grace right it's
supposed to help Saudi get all the oil get as much oil out as it can while the straight of Hormuz is tied up um and
then you have the rest of the Gulf uh you know the UAE talking about building pipelines there's all this talk about trying to maneuver around the war, but
no real talk among a lot of these Gulf countries on h what's the only uh real way to end the war uh uh as they
continue to be used as launching pads for the United States. So, it's a really I mean it's a really dark time I think for Saudi Arabia, for the Gulf.
Um your rea Yeah, your reactions to this. It's it's I don't know how sa where Saudi Arabia goes from here because it seems like it's the only path
it's willing to walk is creeping more toward full participant in the war again. Uh while the opposite is actually
probably what is necessary and what will be the only thing that keeps Saudi Arabia um you know viable as an entity itself.
Well, this Gulf Petrum monarchies, Danny and all of you, if you've been there, if you spend some time over there and you
see how they work, everything is fake. Uh, I would say that
Dubai is the absolutely emblematic illustration of how fake the whole thing is.
fake, dangerous, and of course uh uh a slave owner mentality on the part
of these oligarchies, these mini monarchies or these oneman monarchies
which is the case of uh uh Emirates and uh well in the case of all of them in
fact even Qatar the ones I know very well because I went there many times are Carter and the Emirates.
But in all of them is the same thing.
And in the case of Saudi is even worse because everything depends on MBS.
So uh he's trying to this past few years sell the images of modernizer
that uh among the youth in Saudi Arabia he's as popular as Bono. That kind of crap you know it doesn't fool anybody.
Saudi Arabia, for instance, is over 100 tribes, conflicting tribes in the
history of Arabia, which are only kept together with a very, very iron hand, fist, helmet, you name it.
Once this thing starts to disagregate, expect Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia to collapse completely. So we're going to
have waring tribes of Arabia all over the map.
So these are totally fictitious uh fake entities. these monarchies and these one
man monarchies katar is more complicated because the fam the family is more nuanced
even though of course it's the amir but you have different centers of power in
the family and some of them are westernized of course but well educated
at least uh some of them appreciate the power of diplomacy uh it's a matter of education of course
but uh for instance Bahrain Bahrain is an absolute disaster you know that ruling family is a wow bronto territory
Kuwait the same thing so it's complicated on once uh the disagregation will start
uh all across the GCC it's going to be a house of cards completely and the Iranians know it because the Iranians
have had relations with these for decades and even under sanctions uh they are Iranian businessmen all
across the GCC there's a lot of Iranian money in the UAE I heard figures that
are absolutely stratospheric we we don't know who to believe but you know but if you talk to for instance uh h oil
traders or commodity traders uh in in Dubai for instance and they know it very well because they
deal and many of their clients are Iranians.
So there is a lot of Iranian money and influence everywhere in the GCC especially in in the Emirates. So it's
just a matter of time for uh of course this will happen always
after something drastic happening in the battlefield and the battlefield will decide that's
when both wars once again merge the war in Ukraine will be decided in the battlefield. This is something that we
start to be uh uh hearing from Lafrov himself only a few months ago.
and the war Iran uh US will be decided in the battlefield. It's going to be horrifying but there's no other way and
the Iranians also know it and they are ready for it.
The problem is the Americans are not ready for it. They're not ready ready even to admit that they are being
basically counterpunched heavily by a mid-ranking power and there's not much they can do about that.
Can you imagine uh contemplating a strategic defeat?
Yeah. So this is what you know the the people who run the show in the US the real elites in US they are you know they cannot sleep because of that because the
erasian axis in practice even if it's not an axis they are moving all the time
and the US loses terrain day by day in everywhere that matters across Eurasia
Japan Japan doesn't matter Japan is a colony Japan is going to change anything geopolitical in Irasia. No. So it's not important. Iran is Iran is a crossroads.
It's a different completely different story. Yeah. Yeah. in the last five minutes.
Pepe, I just want to, you know, I just want to put out there that Iran, while certainly I think people overblow,
I think there's been a lot of people who have overblown the concessions aspect on the Iranian side with theou especially given the fact that a lot of the terms
were terms that were Iranian terms that were really just the springboard for real talks. Um, the fact of the matter
is that theou wasn't out for the United States. And I just don't I don't see how the US
given how the US uh generally needs to appear, you know, uh, exceptional. It needs to appear the
strongest, most powerful, it needs to appear tough.
um theou is still there to walk back to, but to see the the Trump administration or really any administration after making these moves walk back to it
saying okay you know we'll talk again about these same terms it just it it doesn't seem plausible which then begs
the question of well then what because escalation has its limits as well. It's a it's a it's a true uh quandry in the
all the best senses of the word. So your final thoughts on on this?
Well, because there was never any strategy uh Danny, it's something we we we know uh even before February 28
and especially after the the first few days after February 28, there was never any strategy.
So now they're desperate. You cannot launch a war against a sovereign independent state in West Asia without a extremely detailed strategy.
So now they're paying the price. They started to pay the price from the beginning in fact. But now it's very very serious because now it involves
everything. It involves not only a deep deep crisis inside the US, a crisis in
the oil market, a crisis in the bonus market and a global crisis just around the corner which can become much more
horrible than anybody is uh imagining.
This is this how empires end? Uh yeah and this is one of the ways exactly uh overreaching
hubris a mix of ignorance and arrogance uh overexpansion
uh and especially how this hubris translates into their everyday models operandi and when you think that the
free lunch is going to be literally forever.
Well, in ancient Greece, the Greeks uh the the Greek gods used to punish this
really really hard. We don't have them anymore with us. But I would say the
angel of history, you know, to remind us of Paul Cliff, Walter Benjamin, those
wonderful minds of the 20th, the angel of history is looking and I said, "No, these guys won't get away with it."
[snorts]
Yeah. Well, Pepe, it's always it's always a pleasure. Uh this was a great show.
I want to make sure everybody knows that your telegram your ex uh transition protocol on YouTube which you uh
co-organize and host uh that's all in the video description so people can check out all of your work as well as your latest article in strategic culture
uh on some a lot of the uh themes and uh uh you know developments that we spoke here today. Uh also hit the like button
everybody that helps boost the show so more people can see this conversation with Pepe. Um, you know, all the plays support this channel are there in the video description as well after you check out Pepe's work.
Tomorrow I'll be on with our mutual friend Muhammad Randi 1 p.m. Eastern time as well. The 20 the 24th of July.
Pepe, anything you want to say to the audience before I hit end?
It's okay. Thanks. Thanks everybody. Uh, uh, take a look at our channel, Transitional Protocol. We are a baby
channel, but we're growing relatively fast for a young channel. uh and pay attention to the quality of the information even if you disagree with it
and even if you disagree with the Pakistanis whatever but pay attention to the quality of the information because this information will circulate a lot
and we'll be talking about it here in this show as well. Thank you. Thanks very much.
Definitely. All right everybody, see you tomorrow same time 100 pm Eastern. Uh take care.

[admin]

Iran OBLITERATES US Army Barracks, War Enters Deadliest Phase | Seyed M. Marandi
Danny Haiphong
Started streaming 64 minutes ago #iran #iranwar

Seyed Mohammad Marandi joins to discuss why he believes the most dangerous phase of the Iran war has just begun as Iran's strikes become more devastating and the Trump prepares the unthinkable out of desperation. .