Showing posts with label Iran War. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iran War. Show all posts
Monday, March 23, 2026
Seyed M. Marandi: Total War - Attacking Nuclear Plants, Desalination & Infrastructure
Sunday, March 22, 2026
Joe Kent: Why Trump Went to War
Mar 21, 2026 | UnHerd's Freddie Sayers speaks with Joe Kent, the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, in his first international interview since his resignation from the Trump administration.
A highly decorated Green Beret and CIA veteran, Kent became the most senior official to step down in protest of the ongoing war in Iran, which he describes as a ‘quagmire’ driven by external pressure rather than national interest.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Kent alleges that the U.S. was misled into the conflict by the Israel lobby, shares personal reflections on the death of his wife in a ‘manufactured’ war, and raises questions about the investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
A highly decorated Green Beret and CIA veteran, Kent became the most senior official to step down in protest of the ongoing war in Iran, which he describes as a ‘quagmire’ driven by external pressure rather than national interest.
In this wide-ranging conversation, Kent alleges that the U.S. was misled into the conflict by the Israel lobby, shares personal reflections on the death of his wife in a ‘manufactured’ war, and raises questions about the investigation into the assassination of Charlie Kirk.
Trump Threatens to ‘Obliterate’ Iran Power Plants over Strait of Hormuz
“Strait of Hormuz Will Be Closed Completely!” Iran Warns After US Threat | APT
Mar 22, 2026 | Ebrahim Zolfaghari, spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, warned of severe retaliation if U.S. threats against Iran’s energy infrastructure are carried out.
He said Iran could fully close the Strait of Hormuz and target energy, power, and IT infrastructure linked to Israel and U.S. interests across the region.
Zolfaghari stated that facilities in countries hosting American bases could also become targets. Emphasising Iran’s readiness, he said any attack would trigger a broad response aimed at American economic interests. He added that Iran does not seek war but will act decisively to defend its national interests.
He said Iran could fully close the Strait of Hormuz and target energy, power, and IT infrastructure linked to Israel and U.S. interests across the region.
Zolfaghari stated that facilities in countries hosting American bases could also become targets. Emphasising Iran’s readiness, he said any attack would trigger a broad response aimed at American economic interests. He added that Iran does not seek war but will act decisively to defend its national interests.
Donald Trump Warned Against ‘Last Option’ of Iran Power Plant Strikes | Sir Robin Niblett
Mar 22, 2026 | “He does not want this to go as far as it would go if he were to obliterate Iran’s power plants.”
Trump threatening to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants may trigger severe retaliation across the Gulf and global economy - making it a step even Trump likely wants to avoid, says foreign affairs expert and former director of Chatham House Sir Robin Niblett.
Trump threatening to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants may trigger severe retaliation across the Gulf and global economy - making it a step even Trump likely wants to avoid, says foreign affairs expert and former director of Chatham House Sir Robin Niblett.
Tehran Is Defiant After Trump Threatens Power Plants
THE NEW YORK TIMES: President Trump said that he would “obliterate” Iran’s electricity plants if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours. Iran dismissed the ultimatum as its missiles hit southern Israel, including near the country’s main nuclear research center.
Fresh threats between Iran and the United States to attack critical civilian infrastructure risked imperiling millions of people across the Middle East, as President Trump warned that he could target Iranian power plants and Tehran vowed that such attacks would lead to retaliation against vital energy and water facilities.
Iran dismissed Mr. Trump’s ultimatum that if the Strait of Hormuz — the vital oil shipping route choked off by Iranian strikes — were not fully reopened by Monday night, the United States would strike Iranian power plants. Tehran said the strait would be “completely closed” if its energy infrastructure were attacked, as it launched new missile attacks on Israeli cities.
Iranian missiles hit Dimona, a city eight miles away from Israel’s main nuclear facility, and the nearby city of Arad on Saturday night. More than 10 people were seriously injured and dozens more sustained minor injuries, underscoring Tehran’s ability to inflict damage despite three weeks of devastating airstrikes by the United States and Israel. More than 2,000 people have been killed across the region, mostly in Iran.
The escalating threats to attack key infrastructure increased the potential for civilian danger as the war entered its fourth week.
Just days after he warned Israel against targeting Iranian energy sites to avoid an escalating cycle of counter-strikes, Mr. Trump said late Saturday that the United States would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants — which millions of Iranians depend on — within 48 hours if the strait were not reopened.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, an Iranian military spokesman, vowed that his country would strike infrastructure used by Israel, the United States and American allies — including desalination plants that are a lifeline for much of the Middle East. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman and Pranav Baskar | Sunday, March 22, 2026
Fresh threats between Iran and the United States to attack critical civilian infrastructure risked imperiling millions of people across the Middle East, as President Trump warned that he could target Iranian power plants and Tehran vowed that such attacks would lead to retaliation against vital energy and water facilities.
Iran dismissed Mr. Trump’s ultimatum that if the Strait of Hormuz — the vital oil shipping route choked off by Iranian strikes — were not fully reopened by Monday night, the United States would strike Iranian power plants. Tehran said the strait would be “completely closed” if its energy infrastructure were attacked, as it launched new missile attacks on Israeli cities.
Iranian missiles hit Dimona, a city eight miles away from Israel’s main nuclear facility, and the nearby city of Arad on Saturday night. More than 10 people were seriously injured and dozens more sustained minor injuries, underscoring Tehran’s ability to inflict damage despite three weeks of devastating airstrikes by the United States and Israel. More than 2,000 people have been killed across the region, mostly in Iran.
The escalating threats to attack key infrastructure increased the potential for civilian danger as the war entered its fourth week.
Just days after he warned Israel against targeting Iranian energy sites to avoid an escalating cycle of counter-strikes, Mr. Trump said late Saturday that the United States would “obliterate” Iran’s power plants — which millions of Iranians depend on — within 48 hours if the strait were not reopened.
Ebrahim Zolfaghari, an Iranian military spokesman, vowed that his country would strike infrastructure used by Israel, the United States and American allies — including desalination plants that are a lifeline for much of the Middle East. Iran War Live Updates » | Aaron Boxerman and Pranav Baskar | Sunday, March 22, 2026
Iran Warns of ‘Irreversible Damage’ to Regional Infrastructure If Power Plants Attacked
THE GUARDIAN: In a post on X, Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned that critical infrastructure and energy facilities in the Middle East could be “irreversibly destroyed” if Iranian power plants are attacked. He wrote:
"Immediately after the power plants and infrastructure in our country are targeted, the critical infrastructure, energy infrastructure, and oil facilities throughout the region will be considered legitimate targets and will be destroyed in an irreversible manner, and the price of oil will remain high for a long time.”Click here for more » | Sunday, March 2026
‘The Stakes Are Enormous’: How a Prolonged Iran War Could Shock the Global Economy
THE GUARDIAN: Donald Trump’s ‘little excursion’ is likely to have long-term effects, from oil prices to inflation to growth, say experts
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived.
“There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’
Goldman Sachs told clients it expected temporary disruption. “Oil prices to decline throughout the year. But risks are skewed to the upside,” its analysts wrote. UniCredit suggested crude would be capped at about $80 a barrel. “Given its struggle for survival, the Iranian regime has an incentive to keep its response measured”.
Three weeks later, the prospect of a drawn-out war is causing mounting economic problems. Oil prices have soared above $100 a barrel, European gas prices have doubled, volatility stalks financial markets, and consumers worldwide are bracing for a surge in living costs. Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank, warn the war could have a material impact on inflation and dent global growth.
“Market wisdom still holds that the war will end quickly, with the strait of Hormuz soon to reopen,” said Albert Edwards, a senior analyst at Société Générale. “Maybe the market is right, but in my opinion the risks are asymmetric that stagflation bursts the complacency bubble.”
With each day, more problems are emerging. From the soaring price of petrol and diesel for motorists, to cancelled flights and the worst travel disruption since the Covid pandemic. » | Richard Partington | Sunday, March 22, 2026
In the days after the US and Israel first bombed Iran, financial markets bet the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s “little excursion” in the Middle East would be short-lived.
“There are risks from higher oil prices longer term. But this is a tail risk,” one US-based fund manger said after the airstrike killing Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. “History has shown time and time again that geopolitical flare-ups like this tend to be short-lived. This one should prove to be no exception.’’
Goldman Sachs told clients it expected temporary disruption. “Oil prices to decline throughout the year. But risks are skewed to the upside,” its analysts wrote. UniCredit suggested crude would be capped at about $80 a barrel. “Given its struggle for survival, the Iranian regime has an incentive to keep its response measured”.
Three weeks later, the prospect of a drawn-out war is causing mounting economic problems. Oil prices have soared above $100 a barrel, European gas prices have doubled, volatility stalks financial markets, and consumers worldwide are bracing for a surge in living costs. Central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, Bank of England and European Central Bank, warn the war could have a material impact on inflation and dent global growth.
“Market wisdom still holds that the war will end quickly, with the strait of Hormuz soon to reopen,” said Albert Edwards, a senior analyst at Société Générale. “Maybe the market is right, but in my opinion the risks are asymmetric that stagflation bursts the complacency bubble.”
With each day, more problems are emerging. From the soaring price of petrol and diesel for motorists, to cancelled flights and the worst travel disruption since the Covid pandemic. » | Richard Partington | Sunday, March 22, 2026
On Beirut’s Waterfront, Loss Meets Life, and Luxury, Amid War
THE NEW YORK TIMES: Thousands displaced by Israeli strikes on Lebanon’s capital now shelter along the promenade hugging the Mediterranean Sea. They share it with joggers, cyclists and dog walkers, alongside dizzying displays of wealth.
The shirtless jogger, his headphones in and his back slick with sweat, ran past a row of tents pitched along the seafront in downtown Beirut, Lebanon’s capital. In one tent, a displaced family of four — uprooted by weeks of war that have convulsed the nation — watched him pass.
For a moment, the scene held its uneasy calm. The evening sun faded into the Mediterranean Sea, the steady rhythm of the waves softened the edges of the day, and the runner kept his pace, eyes forward. And then a deafening roar shattered it all: An Israeli airstrike had hit a nearby neighborhood, sending plumes of smoke into the sky.
“We chose the seaside because it is peaceful,” said Hussein Hame, 37, who, along with his wife and two children, was displaced this month from Dahiya, a collection of neighborhoods on the southern outskirts of Beirut where Hezbollah holds sway. “But this war finds you everywhere.”
War has returned to Lebanon, and the capital’s meandering seafront has become an unlikely front line. Here, a stark contrast has emerged: The displaced and destitute sit in the cold, while others live life as usual — jogging, cycling — amid the dizzying wealth and luxury that exist nearby. » | Abdi Latif Dahir | Photographs by Diego Ibarra Sanchez | Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon | Sunday, March 22, 2026
The shirtless jogger, his headphones in and his back slick with sweat, ran past a row of tents pitched along the seafront in downtown Beirut, Lebanon’s capital. In one tent, a displaced family of four — uprooted by weeks of war that have convulsed the nation — watched him pass.
For a moment, the scene held its uneasy calm. The evening sun faded into the Mediterranean Sea, the steady rhythm of the waves softened the edges of the day, and the runner kept his pace, eyes forward. And then a deafening roar shattered it all: An Israeli airstrike had hit a nearby neighborhood, sending plumes of smoke into the sky.
“We chose the seaside because it is peaceful,” said Hussein Hame, 37, who, along with his wife and two children, was displaced this month from Dahiya, a collection of neighborhoods on the southern outskirts of Beirut where Hezbollah holds sway. “But this war finds you everywhere.”
War has returned to Lebanon, and the capital’s meandering seafront has become an unlikely front line. Here, a stark contrast has emerged: The displaced and destitute sit in the cold, while others live life as usual — jogging, cycling — amid the dizzying wealth and luxury that exist nearby. » | Abdi Latif Dahir | Photographs by Diego Ibarra Sanchez | Reporting from Beirut, Lebanon | Sunday, March 22, 2026
Trump Threatens Iran with Huge Attack If Hormuz Does Not Reopen within 48 Hours
THE GUARDIAN: The United States of America will hit and obliterate Iran’s various power plants, starting with the biggest one first. Click here to read more | Sunday, March 22, 2026
Iran War: Why Political Assassinations Often Fail | Ben Macintyre
Mar 21, 2026 | “If you start knocking off the big fish, you may end up getting people even more fanatical”
Targeted assassinations may weaken leadership in the short term, but often fail to deliver lasting change and can even harden resistance, says The Times’s associate editor and columnist Ben Macintyre.
Targeted assassinations may weaken leadership in the short term, but often fail to deliver lasting change and can even harden resistance, says The Times’s associate editor and columnist Ben Macintyre.
Iran Launches Attack on Israel’s Top Secret Nuclear Facility in Negev Desert | BBC News
Mar 21, 2026 | Iranian missiles have struck an Israeli town housing the country’s top secret nuclear facility, believed to be the site of its nuclear weapons arsenal. The Shimon Perez Negev Nuclear Research Centre contains a nuclear reactor and is close to the town of Dimona in the Negev desert in southern Israel.
Around 100 people are reported to have been injured in Dimona, when the missiles hit residential buildings. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths. Injuries and deaths were also reported in the southern Israeli city of Arad. Iran said the strike on Dimona was in retaliation for an Israeli attack earlier in the day on its nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran's nuclear agency said the site had come under attack but there had been no leakage of radioactivity.
Iran’s state news agency said: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again sent a clear message: No area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”
The United Arab Emirates also reported many people injured there in the latest missile attacks by Iran. The UAE’s defence ministry said it had intercepted hundreds of missiles. Israel and the US have continued their airstrikes on Iran’s capital Tehran, while US Central Command said it had degraded Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement calling for an “immediate end” to Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. They also said they were prepared to take measures to protect global energy supplies.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Esyllt Carr and Damian Grammaticas.
Around 100 people are reported to have been injured in Dimona, when the missiles hit residential buildings. There are unconfirmed reports of multiple deaths. Injuries and deaths were also reported in the southern Israeli city of Arad. Iran said the strike on Dimona was in retaliation for an Israeli attack earlier in the day on its nuclear facilities at Natanz. Iran's nuclear agency said the site had come under attack but there had been no leakage of radioactivity.
Iran’s state news agency said: “The enemy has once again received an unforgettable lesson. The missile attack on the Dimona area has once again sent a clear message: No area is safe from Iranian missiles. The enemy must surrender before it is too late.”
The United Arab Emirates also reported many people injured there in the latest missile attacks by Iran. The UAE’s defence ministry said it had intercepted hundreds of missiles. Israel and the US have continued their airstrikes on Iran’s capital Tehran, while US Central Command said it had degraded Iran's ability to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.
G7 foreign ministers have issued a statement calling for an “immediate end” to Iranian strikes in the Gulf region. They also said they were prepared to take measures to protect global energy supplies.
Jane Hill presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Joe Inwood, Esyllt Carr and Damian Grammaticas.
Saturday, March 21, 2026
Iran War Will End in US Strategic Failure: Why the UK Keeps ‘Well Clear’ of Conflict | Sean Bell
Mar 21, 2026 | “America will walk away having achieved a military victory but a strategic failure.”
The British government and military are trying to “keep well clear” of the conflict in Iran as it’s an “unwinnable war”, says former RAF Air Vice Marshall Sean Bell.
The British government and military are trying to “keep well clear” of the conflict in Iran as it’s an “unwinnable war”, says former RAF Air Vice Marshall Sean Bell.
Trump Has Underestimated Iran: They Are 'Shaping How This War Is Progressing' | Tobias Ellwood
Mar 21, 2026 | "Any expert would be able to tell you just how impregnable their regime would be."
Iran targeted Diego Garcia with weapons systems we didn't know they had which is just one example of "how long they have been preparing for a potential attack from America", says defence and security commentator, Tobias Ellwood.
Iran targeted Diego Garcia with weapons systems we didn't know they had which is just one example of "how long they have been preparing for a potential attack from America", says defence and security commentator, Tobias Ellwood.
Could the US Lose the War in Iran?
Mar 21, 2026 | Is the United States really winning the war against Iran—or is the situation more complicated than it seems? Despite massive airstrikes and thousands of Iranian targets destroyed, Iran continues to launch drone attacks, strike oil infrastructure, and disrupt global shipping.
How is a country with far fewer military resources still able to challenge the world’s most powerful military? Anthony Davis breaks down the strategy behind modern asymmetric warfare—where weaker nations use cheap drones, missiles, and strategic geography to impose huge costs on stronger opponents. He also explores how the Strait of Hormuz, global oil markets, and economic pressure could play a decisive role in the conflict, as Trump begs former allies for assistance.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
How is a country with far fewer military resources still able to challenge the world’s most powerful military? Anthony Davis breaks down the strategy behind modern asymmetric warfare—where weaker nations use cheap drones, missiles, and strategic geography to impose huge costs on stronger opponents. He also explores how the Strait of Hormuz, global oil markets, and economic pressure could play a decisive role in the conflict, as Trump begs former allies for assistance.
ANTHONY DAVIS can be supported on Patreon here.
Iran Strike Shock — Oil Markets in Total Panic | Prof Jeffrey Sachs
Professor Sachs’ voice is one of the few sane voices in the bedlam which has been caused by this illegal and quite unnecessary war on Iran. Would that he were not so alone. — © Mark Alexander
UK Approves US Use of British Bases as Trump Considers 'Winding Down' War in Iran | BBC News
Mar 21, 2026 | The UK has agreed to allow the US to use British bases to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.
US President Donald Trump said the UK "should have acted a lot faster", while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Sir Keir was "putting British lives in danger”.
Trump also said the US is considering “winding down” operations against Iran, but that other nations must guard the Strait of Hormuz - a vital shipping lane for oil.
But Iran’s foreign minister has said "it does not appear that the United States is prepared to halt its aggression".
It was only a matter of time before the WEAK STARMER would bend to Trump's ridiculous demands and allow Britain to be dragged into this illegal and brutal war. Shame on Starmer!
Further, if Israel is allowed nuclear weapons, then why should Iran not be allowed them too? We have all seen how reckless Israel has been in recent years. A GENOCIDE has taken place in Gaza, and now in this BRUTAL Iran war, Iranians are being killed with gay abandon. Fact is, what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. — © Mark Alexander
US President Donald Trump said the UK "should have acted a lot faster", while Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi claimed Sir Keir was "putting British lives in danger”.
Trump also said the US is considering “winding down” operations against Iran, but that other nations must guard the Strait of Hormuz - a vital shipping lane for oil.
But Iran’s foreign minister has said "it does not appear that the United States is prepared to halt its aggression".
It was only a matter of time before the WEAK STARMER would bend to Trump's ridiculous demands and allow Britain to be dragged into this illegal and brutal war. Shame on Starmer!
Further, if Israel is allowed nuclear weapons, then why should Iran not be allowed them too? We have all seen how reckless Israel has been in recent years. A GENOCIDE has taken place in Gaza, and now in this BRUTAL Iran war, Iranians are being killed with gay abandon. Fact is, what is sauce for the goose is also sauce for the gander. — © Mark Alexander
Iranian Strikes on Bases Used by US Caused $800m in Damage, New Analysis Shows
BBC: Iranian strikes on military bases used by the US in the Middle East caused about $800m (£600m) in damage in the first two weeks of the war, a new analysis shows.
Much of the damage was caused in initial retaliatory strikes by Iran in the week after the US and Israel launched the war, according to a report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and an analysis by the BBC.
The full extent of the damage caused by Iranian strikes on US assets in the region is not clear.
But the $800m in estimated damage to US military infrastructure - a figure that's higher than has been previously reported - offers a picture of the steep costs to the US as the conflict drags on. » | Daniel Bush, Washington correspondent and Paul Brown & Alex Murray, BBC Verify | Friday, March 20, 2026
Much of the damage was caused in initial retaliatory strikes by Iran in the week after the US and Israel launched the war, according to a report by the Center for Strategic & International Studies (CSIS) and an analysis by the BBC.
The full extent of the damage caused by Iranian strikes on US assets in the region is not clear.
But the $800m in estimated damage to US military infrastructure - a figure that's higher than has been previously reported - offers a picture of the steep costs to the US as the conflict drags on. » | Daniel Bush, Washington correspondent and Paul Brown & Alex Murray, BBC Verify | Friday, March 20, 2026
OPINION: Trump’s Recklessness Will ‘Haunt Us for a Generation’
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