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Iran reports 500 US casualties in strikes on covert US military sites

Al Mayadeen | March 28, 2026

Iran’s Armed Forces announced on Saturday that they inflicted heavy casualty losses on US military personnel after striking two covert sites used to shelter US troops, both in Dubai.

The spokesperson for Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaghari, stated that the strikes resulted in casualties affecting more than 500 US soldiers and officers, with approximately 400 at the first site and over 100 at the second.

He confirmed ambulances were seen transporting the dead and wounded for hours following the operations.

Tehran issued a warning to US President Donald Trump and US military commanders in the wake of the strikes, declaring that the region had become “a graveyard for their soldiers” and that the United States has no option but to yield to Iran’s will or face inevitable consequences.

Dubai, al-Kharj targeted in coordinated strike

Zolfaghari also announced in a separate statement that the two secret locations were identified and struck using a combination of missiles and drones in precise operations.

He added that an IRGC strike on the US troop deployment site at Al-Kharj base in Saudi Arabia on Friday destroyed one refueling aircraft and severely damaged three others, rendering all four completely inoperable.

At the same time as the Dubai strikes, Zolfaghari revealed that a warehouse storing Ukrainian anti-drone systems, present in Dubai to support the US military, was also destroyed in a combined operation carried out by the IRGC’s aerospace and naval forces.

21 Ukrainian personnel were reported to have been at the site at the time of the strike. “There is no confirmed information regarding the fate of the Ukrainian personnel present at the site, who are likely to have been killed,” Zolfaghari said.

March 28, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran reports 500 US casualties in strikes on covert US military sites

Organized terrorism: Iran condemns killing of its diplomats in Lebanon

Al Mayadeen | March 27, 2026

The Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned on Friday the killing of several Iranian diplomats in Lebanon, holding the Israeli occupation fully responsible for the “heinous crime” targeting their place of residence.

The Ministry stated that the incident forms part of an “aggressive policy” pursued by “Israel” against the Iranian people, adding that it constitutes a flagrant violation of international legal and humanitarian norms, particularly the principle of diplomatic immunity and the obligation to respect the sovereignty of states.

‘Organized terrorism’

In this context, the Foreign Ministry stressed that the killing of diplomats constitutes a clear example of “organized terrorism” and a direct breach of international law, affirming Iran’s determination to pursue all available legal and international channels to hold those responsible accountable.

The Ministry also extended condolences to the families of the martyrs and to the Iranian people, reaffirming its commitment to continue their path in safeguarding Iran’s security and national interests.

It identified the martyrs as: Sayyed Mohammad Reza Mousavi, Alireza Bi-Azar, Majid Hosseini Kandsar, Hossein Ahmadlou, Ahmad Rasouli, and Amir Moradi.

Iran urges UN to condemn US-Israeli assassination plots

Earlier today, Iran formally called on the United Nations Security Council to condemn active US-Israeli plans to assassinate senior Iranian officials, including Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and Foreign Minister Sayyed Abbas Araghchi. The US and “Israel” have been on an assassination spree that has now claimed the lives of Iran’s Leader and dozens of other officials since the start of the US-Israeli aggression on Iran on February 28.

In a letter addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the President of the Security Council on Thursday, Iran’s Ambassador and Permanent Representative Amir Saeid Iravani warned that media reports had exposed an operational framework explicitly targeting Iran’s highest political figures. The alleged suspension of those plans, Iravani stressed, offered no reassurance, as its “conditional nature” confirms that “the threat remains real, deliberate, and ongoing.”

The ambassador condemned the practice as a product of “criminal mindsets” that have publicly dismissed the rules of engagement as “foolish”, the same forces, he wrote, that have bombed students, targeted hospitals, and destroyed cultural heritage sites in an open campaign of state terrorism.

The promotion of the term “kill lists”, the letter stated, is “another manifestation of the same terrorist acts” that initiated a criminal war and have so far led to the martyrdom of more than 3,000 civilians.

Iravani further invoked the protections afforded to officials at the level of foreign minister under customary international law, protections repeatedly affirmed by the International Court of Justice, warning that any attack on their lives “would undermine the foundations of peaceful international relations.”

A record built on killing

By documented count, the Israeli entity has conducted approximately 2,300 assassination operations since 1948, a record that dwarfs any other state in the Western world and one so institutionalized that the occupation entity was likely the first government to formally acknowledge a policy of assassination, which they dub “targeted killing”, as far back as 2000.

Since the onset of the genocide in Gaza, the killing machine accelerated dramatically, targeting dozens of senior officials in the Palestinian and Lebanese Resistance, and ultimately the Iranian Leader himself, martyred in a joint US-Israeli operation on February 28, 2026.

The campaign has never been confined by borders. Operations in Dubai, Tehran, Beirut, Damascus, and European capitals have established, as a matter of practice, that the occupation recognizes no other country’s territorial sovereignty.

March 27, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, War Crimes, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Organized terrorism: Iran condemns killing of its diplomats in Lebanon

Why could Gaza enter the regional war?

By Robert Inlakesh | Al Mayadeen | March 27, 2026

As the Israeli-US war on the Islamic Republic of Iran continues, so too does its seemingly never-ending assault on the people of Gaza. Which may end up resulting in one of the most extreme forms of blowback that the Zionist regime has ever faced.

The so-called Gaza ceasefire agreement that came into effect on October 10, 2025, has proven to be precisely the opposite of a cessation of hostilities. Instead, just like with the way in which the Israelis dealt with the Lebanon ceasefire, they decided that the deal only applies to one side and that because they have the military edge, they can simply bomb wherever at will.

In the case of the Lebanese ceasefire, over 15,400 total violations were tallied by the time that Hezbollah chose to respond. Gaza’s official violation count is steadily on the way to the 3,000 mark, with the Zionist entity having murdered around 700 people during the “ceasefire” period.

Just as this strategy of arrogance backfired with Hezbollah, of believing that they can simply assert dominance and commit atrocities whenever they choose without any response, so too is it likely to blow up in their faces with the Palestinian Resistance in Gaza. In fact, it was this kind of mentality and arrogance that led to the humiliating defeat of their southern command on October 7, 2023.

Gaza had already been declared unlivable by 2020, as per calculations provided by United Nations experts, with a water supply that was 97% unfit for human consumption, one of the highest unemployment rates on earth, and who could forget the frequent series of massacres visited on the population there? Now, the situation on the ground is beyond comprehension.

Month after month, the sadistic Zionist administration of US President Donald Trump toyed with the Palestinian civilian population by claiming that a “Phase 2” to the ceasefire agreement was within reach. This evidently never materialised, the people were left in around 40% of the Gaza Strip with little shelter and supplies, living amongst the sewage and bombed out buildings surrounding them.

Meanwhile, the five Israeli created ISIS-linked collaborator gangs in Gaza, composed of Wahhabis and common criminals, have been granted round the clock protection and limitless supplies in order to further the goals of destroying the Palestinian people.

The “International Community?” and “International Legal System?” Nowhere to be seen, or totally ineffective where any efforts are made. The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) even passed resolution 2803, birthing Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace” (BoP) last November. All the Arab regimes came grovelling at the US President’s feet, as they congratulated the resolution that burned down decades of international law and precedents.

In the end, what was the BoP? Well, its charter didn’t mention Gaza, or even Palestine, once. It was instead an attempt to create a UN replacement, filled with the most repellent of spineless creatures, like Tony Blair, and billionaire friends of the US President.

Under the current conditions being faced by the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip, with their civilians who are continuing to be murdered, kidnapped and injured, there will eventually come a time that the opportunity will present itself for the Palestinian national resistance to take action.

If the Israeli military continues to commit to its ground offensive inside Lebanon, forcing it to get bogged down, while the Iranian missile and drone waves continue to take out strategic targets, there may be an opportunity for the Palestinians to finally take matters into their own hands.

It is not likely that any major moves will be made at this stage of the regional war, yet if this reaches a phase where the Israeli military is being severely battered and it no longer possesses many capabilities it entered the war with, it may be in for dealing with the final flood. The Al-Aqsa Flood operation proved what happens when the Zionist entity refuses to compromise and allow the people of Gaza to breathe.

As long as the Israelis refuse to admit defeat in this war, things will certainly continue to get worse and worse for them as the months go on. The reason for this is simple, they are so hell bent on conquering more territory and spilling the blood of the region’s peoples, that there is only one solution available, to force them to face a total strategic military defeat.

Although these are all broadly considered to be low likelihood possibilities, their regional aggression could easily trigger various fronts in ways that may spin out of control. Take for example the occupied West Bank and Al-Quds, although they have so far refrained from standing up for themselves in any large-scale uprising, if they were to simply revolt, they would cause an earthquake for the Israeli military and society at large.

The Israelis know well the potential consequences of a West Bank uprising, but instead of taking measures to minimize this possibility, they choose to increase the pressure on the population there. Since October 7, 2023, they have indeed fallen silent – with the exception of the Resistance groups primarily situated in the north’s refugee camps – but in no way is it certain they will continue to take this kind of punishment.

Even the way the Zionist entity handles its predicament inside Syria, it uses nothing but brute force and refuses to behave in a strategic manner. It may be an unlikely scenario, seeing that the current President of Syria is only one step away from a normalization agreement, yet how could the Israeli military deal with being roped into a quagmire inside Syrian territory, where an abundance of groups could end up attacking them?

Which brings us back to the question of Gaza. Considering that the opportunity presents itself, the Resistance could certainly act down the line in this conflict. If it does happen, it will be out of necessity and because the Zionist entity refused to end its genocide. In anticipation of any such action, it should be noted on record that it will be entirely the fault of the Israelis and the regime in Washington.

March 27, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Why could Gaza enter the regional war?

The coming military and psychological unravelling?

Ashes of Pompeii | March 27, 2026

In the late 1960’s, America stood at the zenith of its postwar power. Its economy dominated, its military seemed unstoppable, and its confidence was unshakable. The war in Vietnam was going swimmingly, MacNamara’s body counts were the proof of it. Then came Tet.

January 30th, 1968, Tet, the Vietnamese lunar new year. On that day and the next North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces launched coordinated attacks on over 100 cities, and hundreds more rural sites, across South Vietnam. It was not merely a surprise attack, but a fundamental inflection point. The Viet Cong struck everywhere at once, proving they were not a ragtag insurgency, peasants in sandals, but a coordinated, disciplined force with sophisticated low-tech commincation and coordination networks. They eventually lost the battles, yes, but they shattered the myth of American invincibility. The psychological blow was irreversible. Public trust collapsed. The war wasn’t lost on the battlefield that week; it was lost first on the 6 o’oclock news, and then in the American mind.

That is the lesson we miss when we reduce Tet to just a “surprise.” It was the moment the trajectory of American power bent. Not because the U.S. stopped winning battles, but because the world, and Americans themselves, realized victory was not just a question of firepower, and was not inevitable.

Today, we seem to be approaching a similar inflection point in the Gulf. Not a repeat of 1968, but a parallel unraveling. American power projection, naval dominance, air superiority, deterrence credibility, is being tested in real time. The contemplated land operations, Kharg Island, Hormuz, wherever, carry the same hubris that marked early Vietnam: assumptions in the Trump administration of quick success, underestimation of adversary resolve, and overreliance on technology against an enemy that thrives in ambiguity and asymetric warfare.

The difference now is the psychological context. In 1968, many Americans doubted the war’s morality, but no one doubted their nation’s raw power. Today, social media and fragmented news mean more people see the cracks: stalled initiatives, diplomatic friction, asymmetric losses. Yet for many leaders, and for the archetype of the “average American” still shaped by post-Cold War triumphalism, the idea of a swift, visible military debacle remains unthinkable. Despite Vietnam. Despite Iraq and Afghanistan. Despite the American helicoptors in Iran in 1979 or “Black Hawk Down”.

The new Tet moment has not yet arrived. In the American mind, all of the above failures were somehow due to individual failures, lack of resolve or coordination, the hippies, Carter or Biden’s weakness, …

It hasn’t arrived yet, but all indications are that the next Tet is approaching very fast. A military disaster is already unfolding but it is gradual, there are no headlines (yet?) saying “TODAY WE LOST”. A large military operation in the Gulf involving thousands of troops could well be that moment. Geography, logistics, fighting spirit, and for once possibly even technology, all favor the Iranians. Drones, missiles, mines. Lack of air defense. Shore versus ship. Improvisation and lack of detailed planning. An American command structure without real experience in modern warfare. It all adds up. Hegseth’s 10,000 targets as the modern version of MacNamara’s body counts.

The coming days or weeks could deliver this new Tet moment. A failed operation. A strategic miscalculation that exposes limits. An outcome that cannot be spun. In a hyper-connected age, the perception shift would be instantaneous. The already threadbare myth of omnipotence would fracture not over months of coverage, but in hours of viral footage.

If January 30, 1968 marked the peak before the long decline of American unquestioned authority, then the Gulf today may be where that curve bends again. Not because America is now weak, but it is unquestionably weaker. And the world has changed, adversaries have learned and adapted. The question isn’t whether the U.S. can win a battle, the coming operations might even initially be successful, it’s whether the American psyche can absorb a strategic setback without overreacting.

We may be days or weeks from that pivot. Not a surprise, but a culmination. Tet didn’t create the American crisis in Vietnam; it revealed it. The Gulf’s Tet will fully reveal the limits of the old America-centric world order. And when that moment comes, it remains to be seen whether America can face the new reality without losing its bearings.

March 27, 2026 Posted by | Militarism | , | Comments Off on The coming military and psychological unravelling?

Iran has the last laugh

By M. K. BHADRAKUMAR | Indian Punchline | March 27, 2026

Wars are always unpredictable. The most famous instance is of another armada like the US’ in the Persian Gulf at the moment — the Spanish Armada, a 130-ship naval fleet sent by Spain in 1588 commanded by Alonso de Guzmán, Duke of Medina Sidonia, an aristocrat appointed by Philip II of Spain to invade England, depose Queen Elizabeth I, and restore Catholicism.

Despite its strength, the Spanish Armada was defeated in the English Channel by a smaller English force using fireships and better artillery, then largely destroyed by storms while retreating around Scotland and Ireland.

The US president Donald Trump’s much-touted armada has more or less the same mission as the Spanish Armada — ranging from regime change to  overthrow of the Islamic system of governance to the unspoken leitmotif of a Crusade. Curiously, it seems destined for a similar miserable ending too, the US’ overwhelming military superiority notwithstanding.

Sir Alexander William Younger KCMGUS, former head of MI6, said in an interview with the Economist on Monday that Iran has gained the “upper hand” in the ongoing war with the United States and Iran.  Sir Alexander complimented Iran.

More than one factor contributed to this “paradigm shift” of the Big Boy coming out second best. Bad planning, lack of a coherent strategy,  over-confidence over the US’ apparent military superiority– all these played their part in the undoing of the plot against Iran that the two aggressors hatched.

It is now out in the open that, incredibly enough, just 16 days into the war, the US forces were already running out of ATACMS/PrSM ground-attack missiles; and, Israel is about to expend its entire Arrow interceptor missiles by the end March. 

The Royal United Services Institute in London published on March 24 an analysis/expert opinion highlighting that the war in Iran has virtually hollowed out the inventory of the US and Israel’s “most critical assets” with no prospects of replenishment anytime soon in a near future due to the fragilities of the US defence industrial base. 

The findings are a stark warning that with the conflict having “settled into a grinding trial of attrition” after the first 96 hours, the inventories of long-range interceptors and precision strike weapons are nearing exhaustion. 

The CEO of Rheinmetall, Armin Papperger warned on 19 March that global stockpiles are “empty or nearly empty” and if the war continues another month, “we nearly have no missiles available”.

To be sure, Iranians are watching closely and that explains their defiant stance that “Iran will end the war when it decides to do so and when its conditions are met.” Tehran has warned that it will continue to deal “heavy blows” across the Middle East. Media reports confirm Iran’s claim that it has rendered dysfunctional the US bases all across the region. Had it not been about a war, there is cause for celebration when the notorious bully gets thrashed by a little brother.

Word is spreading in the US despite the cover-up by the administration that “The U.S. war in Iran is taking a mounting toll on America’s military, with rising casualties, dwindling munitions stockpiles, a sidelined aircraft carrier and numerous downed aircraft just three weeks into the conflict, ” to quote from The Hill, an influential newspaper that circulates among lawmakers in the US Congress.

The report adds, “At least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while another 232 have been injured since the U.S.-Israeli war against Tehran began on Feb. 28. In addition, some 16 American aircraft have been destroyed, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier was damaged in a laundry room fire earlier this month and American forces are quickly blowing through stocks of air defence and long-range munitions.”

The commentary carried by RUSI says that Iran has damaged at least a dozen US and allied radars and satellite terminals, which has impacted the efficiency of interception. Evidently, using 10 or 11 interceptors for one Iranian missile or 8 patriot missiles for one Iranian drone becomes unsustainable going ahead. It underscored that the US military is “approximately a month, or less, away from running out of ATACMS/PrSM ground-attack missiles and THAAD interceptors. And Israel is in an even more precarious spot, with its Arrow interceptor missiles likely to be completely expended by the end of March.”

In real terms, this implies accepting greater risk for aircraft and tolerating more Iranian missiles and drones damaging US-Israeli forces and infrastructure. The audacious Iranian attacks this week on Dimona, Israel’s nuclear city, is a vivid example. 

“The precariousness … could possibly explain why President Trump is already suggesting the ‘winding down’ of the Iran war; it could take years to replace what was expended in only 16 days,” the commentary points out. Given the limitations of the US defence industrial base, “it will likely take at least 5 years to replenish the 500 plus Tomahawk missiles already fired in the war. 

“Worse, sourcing critical defence minerals, rare earths, and materials to make the weapons and munitions is complicated by China. China controls most of the world’s gallium and germanium, and Beijing has imposed numerous mineral export controls since 2023, to prevent the US and its allies from acquiring these necessary inputs for the defence industrial base.”

The “strategic consequence” of all this is that continued fighting with Iran not only increases the risk to forces in-theatre but engenders the bigger risk of what it does to deterrence and defence elsewhere, such as “protecting Taiwan and supporting Ukraine”. 

Besides, if the US prioritises replenishing its own stocks, it slows deliveries to other partners. Allies are already signalling concern that “an American focus on its own military replenishment will delay weapon and munition deliveries they have already paid for.”

The reigning superpower that was Spain in the 16th century saw its power crumble after the defeat of the Armada, while England would soon control an empire that the sun never set on. Is history repeating on a similar template in our world in transition?

March 27, 2026 Posted by | Militarism | , , , , , | Comments Off on Iran has the last laugh

Iran submits response to US plan, sets terms for war’s end: Tasnim

Al Mayadeen | March 26, 2026

An informed source told Tasnim on Thursday that Iran has delivered its response to a 15-point proposal put forward by the United States, transmitting its position through intermediaries on Wednesday night. Tehran is now awaiting a reply.

According to the source, Iran’s response sets out a series of conditions tied to any potential end to the war. These include an immediate halt to assassination operations, the establishment of binding guarantees to prevent a renewed aggression, and the provision of clearly defined compensation and reparations. The response also calls for a comprehensive cessation of hostilities across all fronts, extending to all resistance groups involved in the confrontation throughout the region.

The source further stressed that Iran considers its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz to be a natural and legal right that will remain in place. This control, the source indicated, is viewed as a mechanism to ensure the implementation of any commitments made by the other side and must be formally acknowledged.

These positions, the source added, are separate from the demands previously raised during the second round of nuclear negotiations held in Geneva shortly before the US-Israeli war that began in February.

The source also cast doubt on Washington’s stated intentions regarding negotiations, describing them as part of a “third deception” effort. According to the source, the United States is pursuing multiple objectives under the cover of diplomacy: presenting a peaceful image to the international community, maintaining lower global oil prices, and gaining time to prepare for further military aggressions, including a potential ground operation in southern Iran.

Reflecting on previous engagements, the source said Iran now holds “complete doubts” about the United States’ willingness to negotiate in good faith. The source argued that both during the 12-day war in June 2025 and the current war, the United States initiated hostilities while talks were ongoing, suggesting that renewed diplomatic efforts may similarly serve as a pretext for further escalation. Analysts suggest that there is no need to call on Iran to admit a certain reality, if, as suggested, it was already a reality in the first place.

War exposes US limits

Iran’s response comes as the war on the country enters its fourth week, after the United States and “Israel” launched coordinated attacks targeting the country’s leadership, civilian infrastructure, and military capabilities, prompting sustained Iranian retaliatory operations across the region.

The consequences of this aggression have extended far beyond the battlefield. Disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery through which roughly a fifth of global oil and LNG supplies pass, have not only sent shockwaves through energy markets but also exposed the limits of US power in the region.

Despite its military presence, Washington has struggled to secure a chokepoint central to the global economy following its aggression, while Iran has shown it can impose costs that reverberate through oil prices, inflation, financial markets, and allied capitals, undermining the image of a US-led order able to guarantee stability.

Amid these developments, the United States has been working at countering Iran’s retaliation following the aggression and shaping the war’s outcome on terms favorable to Washington to no avail.

Tehran has categorically rejected negotiating under such conditions. Iranian officials say recent US proposals, including a reported multi-point plan conveyed through intermediaries, are unrealistic and designed to force strategic concessions while the war continues.

According to Tehran officials, Washington and “Israel”, having initiated the aggression, have no standing to dictate its conclusion. Authorities insist the war will end only on Iran’s terms, including a full cessation of aggression, guarantees against renewed attacks, and recognition of Iran’s sovereignty.

Trump threatens Iran

On Wednesday, the White House openly threatened further escalation against Iran, warning that the US is prepared to intensify its attacks unless Tehran accepts Washington’s terms.

“The President’s preference is always peace. There does not need to be any more death and destruction. But if Iran fails to accept the reality of the current moment, if they fail to understand that they have been defeated militarily … President Trump will ensure they are hit harder than they have ever been hit before,” Leavitt told reporters.

Iran’s continued retaliatory strikes, however, contradicts Washington’s claim of “defeat,” with officials announcing the 82nd wave of retaliatory strikes targeting US and Israeli assets across the region, thus indicating that Tehran’s operational capacity remains intact.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran submits response to US plan, sets terms for war’s end: Tasnim

Zelensky unnecessarily involves Ukraine in the Middle East crisis

By Ahmed Adel | March 26, 2026

Unlike European countries and other NATO allies staying out of the Middle East conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran, Ukraine—already short on troops and military strength—has sent 201 drone specialists to support the war effort against the Islamic Republic. This decision by the Kiev regime comes despite the difficulties Ukraine faces in the conflict against Russia on various tactical fronts and ends up causing embarrassment between the European bloc and the US, which has received little practical support from Western allies in its war effort against Iran.

It also raises questions about how a country reliant on European funding, which even campaigns to recruit foreigners due to a shortage of personnel, can become involved in a distant conflict. This demonstrates that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has no interest in ending the conflict in his own country and aims to win favor with the US by becoming entangled in the Persian Gulf quagmire, so the war in Eastern Europe can continue.

The limited European involvement in the war against Iran reveals a divide in the West over political views and cooperation, as well as the fact that allied ties are weaker than they seem. This trend toward political and strategic distancing within the Western bloc has been ongoing for quite some time, including the US questioning the link between European spending and NATO, and even the European Union stepping back in the Ukraine peace talks. As a result, the division highlights notable differences in perceptions.

Zelensky’s attitude is even more internally contradictory because Ukraine cannot sustain its own troops, and by becoming involved in the Middle Eastern conflict and decentralizing military efforts, more internal obstacles will arise. The Ukrainian president’s actions appear populist since Ukraine lacks enough military resources and is instead using what little it has to support the US and Israel in a conflict where it has no direct stake.

Additionally, this raises questions about whether Ukrainians can currently be involved in the Middle East, given that they are facing a serious internal crisis.

Ukrainian involvement in the US-Israeli operation against Tehran could spark domestic unrest, including growing opposition to Zelensky across different parts of society and among various local political groups. Ukrainians do not want their men dying thousands of kilometres away from home.

Aside from the possibility of reduced military aid to Ukraine, this could leave the population feeling more exhausted about the options for continuing the conflict with Russia. At the same time, there is already a disconnect between the military and Zelensky.

Despite getting more aid from Europe, the Ukrainians are trying to negotiate for more support from the US by demonstrating their loyalty. This marks a historic moment in the relationship between Washington and Kiev.

Historically, since gaining independence, Ukraine has consistently allied itself with the US in various conflicts that emerged after the 1990s, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. In the current Gulf conflict, there is a similar pattern: right now, Zelensky is attempting to build political capital with the Trump administration by demonstrating support, but in reality, Kiev has little to gain.

Earlier this month, just days into the war with Iran, Western media reported that Russia provided Iran with information that could help it strike American targets, with one US official telling MS NOW, “Russia is providing intelligence help to Iran.”

In a separate article published on March 23, MS NOW reported that “Ukraine’s military intelligence has ‘irrefutable’ evidence that Russia has provided intelligence to the Iranian regime, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a post on X today. ‘Russia is using its own signals intelligence and electronic intelligence capabilities, as well as part of the data obtained through cooperation with partners in the Middle East,’ Zelensky said, citing a report from Ukrainian Chief of Defense Intelligence Oleh Ivashchenko.”

The outlet also highlighted that “Ukraine has a vested interest in convincing the United States that Russia is playing a direct role in helping Iran during the war,” believing this would prompt the White House to take a closer look at the evidence from Kiev. However, as the article says, it appears that US President Donald Trump does not care.

It is recalled that in an interview with Fox News earlier this month, Trump said Russia “might be” assisting Iran, but added that the US has assisted Ukraine.

“You know, it’s like, hey, they do it and we do it, in all fairness,” Trump said. “They do it and we do it.”

Days later, he went further, telling the Financial Times, in reference to Russia, “It’s hard to say, ‘You’re targeting us, but we’ve been helping Ukraine.’”

Although Zelensky may have “irrefutable” military intelligence that Russia is assisting Iran, the evidence will not have the impact he hopes it will to rally American support behind Ukraine again, just as deploying drone specialists to assist in the war against Iran will not.

Ahmed Adel is a Cairo-based geopolitics and political economy researcher.

March 26, 2026 Posted by | Militarism | , , | Comments Off on Zelensky unnecessarily involves Ukraine in the Middle East crisis

Former Head Of MI6 Admits That The U.S. And Israel Are Losing The Iran War

The Dissident | March 25, 2026

In an interview with the Economist, Alex Younger, the head of Britain’s MI6 from 2014 to 2020, admitted that Iran has the upper hand against the U.S. and Israel.

When asked, “Who has the upper hand right now, who is in a stronger position?”, Younger replied, “Iran”.

He went on to say “The reality is that the US underestimated the task and I think, as of about two weeks ago, lost the initiative to Iran”.

He added, “The Iranian regime has been more resilient than I think anyone would have expected. They took some good decisions actually as early as last June about dispersing their military capability and delegating the authority for the use of those weapons which has given them significant extra resilience against this incredibly powerful air campaign.”

Younger went on to say, Iran has “embarked on what’s technically called horizontal escalation i.e., firing rockets at anybody within range,” adding that this has “been a very good way of putting indirect price on the US” and has “sort of worked”.

He also said that Iran, “understood the significance of the energy war and held the Strait (of Hormuz) at threat,” which he noted, “globalized the conflict in a way that gives them some weapons.”

He also added that Iran is fighting “a war of existence” while the U.S. is fighting “a war of choice,” noting that this “imbues them (Iran) with more staying power than their US counterparts and they know that now and I think that really is giving them the whip hand”.

Along with this he noted that, “Even with just 10% of its initial drone stocks”, Iran can, “hold the straits at threat because these are not military people, it’s not a military audience you have to satisfy, it is people who own oil tankers and captains of oil tankers and that really does give them the whip hand.”

He concluded that “the options for the US and Israel are pretty limited and not great”.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Former Head Of MI6 Admits That The U.S. And Israel Are Losing The Iran War

Scattered Thoughts on War and Peace

By William Schryver | March 25, 2026

Gentlemen cry peace, peace. But there is no peace. The war has barely begun.

Though its position is untenable, the empire cannot slink away now.

As things stand, Iran et al. have won an overwhelming strategic victory. One that cannot be undone.

And everyone that matters in the world knows this to be true.

That said, a great many people have persuaded themselves that it is the mighty United States military that has achieved an overwhelming victory, and that the Iranians are an utterly “obliterated” foe.

And yet the Iranian missiles and drones keep their schedule, with only a fraction of the opposition they encountered in early March.

Israel — that vulnerable speck of a country — is getting pounded. Hard.

US/Israel air defenses have been reduced to a skeleton shambles.

The impressive Iranian defeat of US/Israeli radar capabilities is arguably the single most notable development so far in this war.

Meanwhile, the count of American manned aircraft downed by “technical problems” continues to grow, and Iran is shooting down more cruise missiles than they did early on.

Speaking of skeleton shambles, all the US bases in the region have been systematically degraded — some more than most.

The US Fifth Fleet has been effectively evicted from the Persian Gulf, and they won’t be coming back.

The USS Poopy Gerry, flagship of the US Navy, has now managed to limp back to Souda Bay to tally the damages, and determine whether or not she can make it all the way back to Norfolk without some tug boats standing by.

Watch and see: they’ll boldly claim they will have her “ready for action” in 18 months or so. But they won’t. And sometime in about 2030, an obscure Pentagon press release will announce that the star-crossed USS Gerald R. Ford, CVN-78, will be decommissioned, purchased by Baron Trump, and turned into a dockside casino.

Anyway, the Americans are convinced the Iranians are an easy mark to fall yet again for the “negotiation sneak attack” gambit.

I think it’s more likely the Iranians are worried the Americans will “chicken out” of their proclaimed intention to use “boots on the ground” to subdue Iran and achieve full control over the Strait of Hormuz.

I think the Iranians would like nothing more than for the US military to attempt a 10k soldier amphibious / airborne attack somewhere along the Iranian coastline — probably in conjunction with a half-dozen special forces raids at various “high-value” targets.

In any case, as two amphibious ready groups (4400 Marines) and an 82nd Airborne brigade combat team (3000 light infantry) continue to advance on the theater of battle, Washington is apparently going to send the mythically competent erstwhile invisible Vice President, the redoubtable young Achilles, JD Vance.

My sense is that Vance’s mission is an inherently disingenuous token gesture.

Vance will state the inherently unacceptable American terms; the Iranians will state theirs. Both sides will glare menacingly at each other, and fly back home.

The Iranians will continue to control Hormuz and launch drones and missiles throughout the region.

US troops will arrive on the scene, and barring some unlikely epiphany of reason, the Pentagon will launch an amphibious / airborne attack that will end in blood and ashes.

At least this is the trajectory of events as I currently perceive them to be.

Things could still go from bad to worse.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Scattered Thoughts on War and Peace

Iran Threatens to Close Red Sea to Shipping in Response to Invasion

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | March 25, 2026

If the US invades Iran, Tehran will act through its allies in Yemen to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which connects the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean.

“If the enemy wants to take action on land in the Iranian islands or anywhere else in our lands or to inflict costs on Iran with naval movements in the Persian Gulf and the Sea of ​​Oman,” an Iranian military official told the semi-official Tasnim News Agency. “We will open other fronts for them as a surprise so that their action will not only be of no benefit to them but will also double their costs.”

“The Bab al-Mandab Strait is considered one of the world’s strategic straits, and Iran has both the will and the ability to create a completely credible threat against it.” The official continued, “Therefore, if the Americans want to think of a solution for the Strait of Hormuz with stupid measures, they should be careful not to add another strait to their problems and predicaments.”

Northern Yemen is controlled by Ansar Allah, who are allied with Iran. So far, Sanaa has not intervened in the war that is raging across the Middle East.

Ansar Allah has proven the military capability to close the Red Sea to shipping and also to fight the American military. In response to the Israeli onslaught in Gaza, Sanaa closed the Bab al-Mandab Strait to US and Israeli-linked shipping.

Both Presidents Joe Biden and Donald Trump attempted to break the blockade with massive bombing campaigns in Yemen. However, Ansar Allad was able to maintain the blockade while attacking Israel and US warships in the region with missiles and drones.

If Ansar Allah elects to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, it will add to the global economic crisis that was caused by the US and Israeli war against Iran. Since the surprise attack by the US and Israel on February 28, Tehran has significantly limited shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

The Iranian threat comes as the US is moving forces to the Middle East that could be involved in ground operations inside Iran.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran Threatens to Close Red Sea to Shipping in Response to Invasion

Iran in excellent position to prevail in war with US, Israel: John Mearsheimer

Press TV – March 25,2026

Senior political scientist John Mearsheimer says Iran has a good chance of dominating the ongoing war with the United States and Israel given the way the Islamic Republic controls the economic repercussions of the conflict.

Speaking to Piers Morgan Uncensored, Mearsheimer said the US and Israel failed to achieve their objectives in the aggression on Iran, which was to decapitate the government and force Iranians to submit to their demands in the first two or three days of the war.

He said, however, that the war has continued for nearly a month and the Iranians are now in a better position to dictate their demands since they control the flow of oil and other energy products from the Persian Gulf to other parts of the world.

“What’s happened here is that we did not achieve a quick and decisive victory and we are now in a long war, a war of attrition, and that’s a war that the Iranians prepared for and that’s a war that the Iranians are in an excellent position to prevail in,” Mearsheimer said.

He said if the United States decides to further escalate the aggression, it could face devastating responses from Iran that affect not only regional countries and American bases they host but also the entire international economy.

“They have the ability to go up the escalation ladder and tank the international economy.”

Donald Trump, the president of the United States, said on March 24 that he was considering holding talks with Iran to end the ongoing confrontation which many believe has put him in a very precarious position.

That comes as he has repeatedly claimed victory since launching the joint aggression with Israel against Iran on February 28.

Iran has yet to accept the US request for negotiations as authorities have indicated that the country will continue its reprisal attacks on US and Israeli positions while controlling the flow of oil in the Persian Gulf to ultimately punish the aggressors.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Wars for Israel | , , , | Comments Off on Iran in excellent position to prevail in war with US, Israel: John Mearsheimer

Iran warns US: Do not call your retreat an agreement

Press TV – March 25, 2026

Spokesman for the Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel Ebrahim Zolfaqari, says the strategic power that the enemy boasted about has “turned into a strategic defeat.”

“If the self-proclaimed superpower of the world could have escaped this predicament, it would have done so by now. Do not call your defeat an agreement,” he said on Wednesday.

This comes as US President Donald Trump backed away from his 48-hour ultimatum to strike Iran’s power plants after the Islamic Republic warned that all energy and power installations in the region would be targeted in retaliation.

Trump claimed in a post on his Truth Social media platform that the US and Iran have had “very good and constructive conversations over the past two days regarding a complete and total resolution of our hostilities in [West Asia].”

A source familiar with internal discussions in Tehran said Monday that there has been no official contact between Tehran and Washington.

“The era of your promises is over. Today, there are only two fronts in the world: truth and falsehood. And every freedom-seeking pursuer of truth will not be deceived by your media waves,” Zolfaqari said.

The spokesman further questioned the extent of internal divisions among enemies, asking sarcastically, “Has the level of your infighting reached the point of negotiating with yourselves?”

Zolfaqari also delivered a stark assessment of regional economic prospects, asserting that neither past levels of US investments in the region nor previous energy and oil prices would return.

“Stability in the region is ensured by the powerful hand of our armed forces,” the spokesman said. “Stability through [our] power.”

He also made clear that no previous state of affairs would return unless “the very thought of taking [military] action against the Iranian nation is completely erased from your vile minds.”

“Our first and last word from day one has been, is, and will be: someone like us will not come to terms with someone like you—not now, and not ever,” he further said.

March 25, 2026 Posted by | Economics, Ethnic Cleansing, Racism, Zionism, Militarism, Wars for Israel | , , , , | Comments Off on Iran warns US: Do not call your retreat an agreement

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