—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: Explosions in Sirik and Minab

@Middle_East_Spectator

— 🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: The price of Brent Crude Oil has shot up to $94 dollars per barrel

@Middle_East_Spectator

—❗️🇺🇸/🇮🇷 NEW: Anti-ship missile launches from Iran towards U.S. warships in the Gulf of Oman

@Middle_East_Spectator

✡️ 🇺🇸 🗳 JD Vance, in leaked private speech to the Republican Jewish Coalition, assures the Jewish lobbying group that "you will very much always be on the team so long as I have any say in it."

"We love you guys," Vance says, speaking on behalf of himself and the entire Trump admin.

📝 Sid Rosenberg: "My honest assessment of Vice President Vance tonight? He was not strong enough on Israel. In fact he referred to Israel as ONE of our best allies. One of? He had a chance to hammer Tucker Carlson and Megyn Kelly but instead spent all his time defending Joe Rogan over Nick Fuentes. He also blamed immigration for a lot of the antisemitism in our country today. Silly. Look, he’s still better than any Democrat candidate but I don’t think he wowed the STRONG Jews in the room tonight."

📎 Chris Menahan

✡️ 🇺🇸 🇮🇱 Republican Jewish Coalition Chairman Norm Coleman, after boasting earlier in his speech about the RJC ousting Rep. Thomas Massie, says Republicans "need to hear that support for Israel is not optional."

📎 Chris Menahan

🇮🇱 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 The Jerusalem Post suggests Americans need “a federally administered debt-forgiveness enlistment program…” for the Iran war.

The CIA has now confirmed what the strike data was already reflecting. First, Iran's military capacity did not collapse. Second, air power resolved neither the institutional problem nor the negotiating problem. Third, the Pentagon still lacks the tools needed to end the war with the Islamic Republic.

Recruitment numbers are running below what a ground invasion of Iran would require. Estimates for a successful ground campaign against Iran's 31 provincial commands and its Mosaic Defense Doctrine run between 750 thousand and 1.5 million American troops. The current active US Army stands at roughly 452 thousand. The math does not work, obviously.

The average American aged 18 to 34 carries more than $40 thousand in non-mortgage debt across student loans, credit card balances, auto loans, and personal loans, with some estimates go as high as $100 thousand.

World War II offered the GI Bill. Vietnam offered college deferments. The post 9/11 wars offered signing bonuses and citizenship pathways. The Iran war will need to offer debt relief. The economics of the indebted American 20-and 30-something make this the most efficient conversion mechanism available to the Pentagon and the Trump administration.

https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-906985

📎 Weimar William

📢 🇺🇸 🇮🇷 Trump says the US is striking Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz and warns Iran not to retaliate.

Brent crude oil prices are nearing $95/barrel.

📎 KobeissiLetter

🇪🇺 🇩🇪 🇷🇺 Ursula von der Leyen on X: This morning I spoke with Chancellor Merz to discuss the hybrid attack at Leipzig airport.

I assured him that the EU stands in full solidarity with Germany in the face of this attack by Russia.

We will keep the EU united despite these escalating and serious acts. The German government has taken strong measures. And the message is clear: hybrid attacks will not go without a clear response.

We are united in our resolve to stand against Russian aggression. We will deter anyone who seeks to undermine our freedom and security.

Russia is seeking to sow distrust and fear among our societies. But it will fail. And we will stand by Ukraine for as long as it takes.

I will discuss this topic tomorrow with NATO Secretary General Rutte. And the matter, including additional sanctions, will be prepared by Foreign Ministers at their upcoming meeting under the Irish Presidency.

📎 Ursula von der Leyen