Trump Begs No More Oil Strikes, Larijani Dead, Iran Confident

Update March 19 with Professor Seyed M. Marandi from Tehran: As the war drags on and the US/Israelis keep killing Iranian leaders and civilians, Iran's military strategy is not changing and actually producing first results. Donald Trump just put out a tweet that his coalition will not attack Iranian oil fields anymore and that they want Iran to do the same. The symmetrical strikes are driving home the point that the US cannot bomb anymore with impunity. Real hurt will come to the US and its economy if Iran retaliates as it just did toward the Gulf monarchies. This is a big development, although, of course, it could just be another ruse or deception. In any case, the Iranians are adamant about keeping to their strategy, and, according to S. Marandi, they have not even touched their most powerful weapons yet.

Trump says US “knew nothing” about Israeli strike on gas field. Sources contradict that

President Donald Trump said the United States “knew nothing” about an Israeli strike on Iranian facilities in the South Pars gas field – the world’s largest natural gas reserve.

But an Israeli source familiar with the attack told CNN on Wednesday that Israel had carried out the attack in coordination with the US, contradicting the president’s claim. A US source also told CNN that the US was “aware” of the strike.

The strike was seen as a major escalation in the war. Israel had previously attacked a number of Iranian fuel depots, but had until Wednesday refrained from striking oil and natural gas production facilities.

In response, Iran attacked major energy facilities in neighboring Gulf states, causing what Qatar said was “extensive damage” at its main energy hub, Ras Laffan. The tit-for-tat strikes caused energy prices to soar, and analysts have warned that the damage at Ras Laffan could trigger a lasting global gas shortage.

As Iran strikes Gulf energy sites, Trump says Israel won’t hit its gas field again — but US will if attacks go on

https://www.timesofisrael.com/trump-israel-will-no-longer-hit-iran-gas-field-but-us-will-if-qatar-sites-struck-again/

US President Donald Trump said early Thursday that he would not allow another Israeli attack on Iran’s South Pars natural gas field, after the IDF struck the key energy site the previous day.

Trump’s statement came after Iran attacked targets across the Gulf, including a gas hub in Qatar and oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, in response to the strike. The attacks were Iran’s latest targeting of the region amid the war with Israel and the US that began on February 28.

Iran, the US and Gulf states traded threats after the strike. Iran threatened further attacks on Gulf states if its energy sites were hit again. Trump, in turn, warned Iran to cease its attacks on Qatar’s energy infrastructure, and Saudi Arabia said it reserved the right to military action after it was attacked.

Iran threatens to torpedo the world economy, so in turn Trump threatens to torpedo the world economy even more....

Mutual assured destruction, no nukes needed, just targeting oil and gas fields.

This is a complete and utter disaster. Trump underestimated Iran's willingness to fight and he needs to just stop, like full stop, before the world burns. Iran isn't going to fold, if they go down, they will ensure everyone goes with them. Which isn't shocking. Meaning, he was always reckless and short sighted. And we know from previous wars (including Russia's invasion of Urkaine) that people don't go away quietly. I guess this is what happens when people are not more careful with their right to vote. Hopefully mid-terms swing hard and impeachment happens. He just flatly shouldn't be in office.

Anybody who knew who Donald J. for Jackass Trump was before he starred in aughts-era Mark Burnett reality slop, could have seen this shitshow coming from miles away. He's always been a grifter and a pig.

Any 18-year-old kid at San Diego already has more military experience under his belt than five generations of Trumps combined by the time he finishes power-walking from the bus to the yellow footprints.

Trump making money selling more weapons to the ME, just what they need over there.

Trump admin bypasses Congress to expedite sale of billions in weapons to UAE and Kuwait

The Trump administration bypassed Congress to expedite the sale of billions of dollars of weapons to the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait as Gulf allies shoulder Iran’s retaliation for US and Israeli military action.

The administration also expedited the multimillion-dollar sale of “aircraft and munitions support” to Jordan.

According to notices published Thursday by the State Department, “the Secretary of State has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale” of the defense articles to the three nations, “thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements.”

The emergency determinations were made for nearly $8.4 billion in combined arms sales to the UAE, including Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs), F-16 munitions, Fixed Site- Low, Slow, Small Unmanned Aircraft Integrated Defeat Systems and long-range discrimination radar integrated with Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD).

They were also made for the sale of $8 billion in Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor Radars to Kuwait and $70.5 million in “aircraft and munitions support” to Jordan, which includes “spare parts, consumables and accessories, and repair and return support.”

Iran has targeted US facilities in each of those countries, as well as in other countries throughout the Gulf. It is unclear how quickly the defense systems and support equipment will be delivered to each country.

In early March, the administration made an emergency determination to bypass Congress and immediately sell 12,000 bombs to Israel.

Saudi Arabia could strike back at Iran "if deemed necessary," foreign minister says

Saudi Arabia could take “military actions” against Iran after Tehran stepped up its attacks on the country, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud told CNN yesterday.

Speaking at a news conference following a meeting with regional foreign ministers in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, he told CNN’s Nic Robertson that the Saudi leadership will strike back at Iran “if deemed necessary.”

“We will not shy away from protecting our country and our economic resources,” he said.

If you want to protect your economic resources, kick the US out of your country. The Saudi regime is deeply unpopular, regime change in Saudi Arabia is also possible.

No rush...

Senate Armed Services chairman says no public hearings on war until after Easter recess

Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker told CNN he doesn’t expect his panel to have an oversight hearing on the Iran war with senior Trump officials until after the two-week Easter recess, which is scheduled to begin at the end of next week.

“I have said that we will have a public hearing,” Wicker said.

But he added: “I think it’s probably not going to fit” before the end of next week, contending there would get a “better response” after the break.

We wanted surprise. Who knows better about surprise than Japan, OK? Why didn’t you tell me about Pearl Harbor?” Trump asked Takaichi, who appeared uncomfortable.

At least he's right about that he's that old someone could have told him before.

What's next? Telling Germany that USA wasn't surprising enough at Normandy and he didn't want to make that mistake again to lose so many soldiers? 

Ground invasion of the coast / Kharg Island next? Bibi already called for it and amphibious assault ships are inbound.

‘Entire NATO mission has withdrawn’ from Iraq

NATO has temporarily pulled back personnel from its mission in Iraq as fallout from the Israeli-US war on Iran raises security concerns, two officials told AFP.

“It’s a temporary withdrawal. They’re worried because of the situation,” one official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. A second source said “the entire NATO mission had withdrawn” except for a small contingent.

The mission, which includes several hundred personnel, is based in Baghdad, close to the US embassy – a frequent target of attacks.

‘Iraq hit from all sides’ as drones strike near US base in Baghdad

Iraq is the only country that’s been hit from all sides. It’s been hit by Iran, it has been hit by America. It has seen strikes carried out within its own borders by armed factions aligned with Iran. There has been no let-up in those attacks.

Israeli weapons factory torched in the Czech Republic

A facility linked to Israeli arms giant Elbit Systems has been set ablaze in the Czech Republic, with an underground group claiming responsibility. Czech authorities have launched an investigation as police said they were looking into “a possible terrorist link”.

Terrorism: the unlawful, calculated use of violence or threat of violence, often against civilians, to instill fear. Taking down weapon factories used to blow up children is not to instill fear.

Elbit Systems describes itself as a key supplier of land and air weapons used by the Israeli military in its wars, including in Gaza and Iran.

Switzerland blocks arms exports to the US over Iran war

Switzerland has halted approvals for weapons exports to the United States, citing its neutrality amid the ongoing Israeli-US war on Iran.

In a statement on Friday, the government said “the export of war materiel to countries involved in the international armed conflict with Iran cannot be authorised for the duration of the conflict”.

“Exports of war materiel to the USA cannot currently be authorised,” the statement added.

Restoring oil and gas supply from the Gulf could take six months: IEA chief

Fatih Birol, head of the International Energy Agency (IEA), warns that it could take six months to restore oil and gas flows from the Gulf, the Financial Times reports. Birol says politicians and markets are underestimating the scale of the disruption to oil and gas infrastructure across the Gulf region. 

“Some of the damage that’s been caused to facilities for oil and gas production in the region will take years to repair,” Jan Rosenow of the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University. “That will have an impact in the long run, not just for a few weeks.”

It remains “quite difficult to get oil and liquefied natural gas out of it without passing through the strait”, he noted. “This is a major choke point … and we are feeling those effects really ripple through the economy. I think we’re going to see further price spikes, I’m afraid.”

UK households face higher energy bills: Analysts

Britain’s domestic energy price cap is set to rise by about 20 percent in July, analysts at Cornwall Insight have said, revising their forecast as the US-Israeli war on Iran pushes up wholesale energy costs.

This means that household energy bills could jump by 330 pounds ($442) a year.

War-driven fuel prices are hitting most US households: Poll

Rising gasoline prices are starting to hit the household finances of Americans, a new Reuters/Ipsos poll suggests. Most Americans expect fuel costs will keep climbing as the Iran war restricts global oil supplies, the poll shows.

Petrol prices have jumped by nearly $1 per gallon since the start of the conflict on February 28. Here is what the survey found:

Trump plans Kharg island occupation to pressure Iran on Hormuz: Report

US President Donald Trump is considering plans to occupy or blockade Iran’s Kharg island to pressure the country to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, US media publication Axios has reported, quoting four unnamed sources.

“We need about a month to weaken the Iranians more with strikes, take the island, and then get them by the balls and use it for negotiations,” one of the sources told Axios.

Another empty threat, it won't open the straight of Hormuz, only ensure more body bags coming back to the US.


Also now selling strategic oil reserves to dampen the price, or is it banking on the investment of storing oil to sell at a higher price in times of crisis... Even if Trump didn't know oil would spike from attacking Iran, those pushing him to war certainly did.

US oligarchs are making bank from the higher oil prices and 'defense' contracts, Israel is driving up its main export of AI targeting and weapons systems.