BREAKING: The U.S. is now preparing to completely abandon Gulf countries, as Trump envoy Tom Barrack directly warns Gulf allies that Washington can no longer guarantee their security indefinitely, telling regional officials in Doha that they must take responsibility for their own defense, signalling the end of the U.S. security umbrella in the Middle East, per the Wall Street Journal. Barrack said the 80-year-old U.S. security-for-oil arrangement is no longer sustainable, pointing to regional defense partnerships as the way forward. The warning comes as Gulf states face Iranian strikes on U.S. military infrastructure and growing uncertainty over Washington’s future military commitment to the region.

🗞 Middle East roundup — 17:42–18:44 UTC IRGC spokesperson Brig. Gen. Mohebbi says the Strait of Hormuz is "completely closed," with US warships pushed 700km away, and claims Iran can strike US warships, calling American claims of oil extraction from the strait "baseless." • Yemen's Armed Forces spokesperson Saree says Saudi warplanes carried out 93 airstrikes on civilian targets across Al-Jawf, Taiz, Saada, Marib, Hajjah, Lahj, Amran and Ibb in the past 24 hours, launched from Khamis Mushait, Taif, Al-Kharj and Sharurah bases; new raids reportedly hit Majz district in Saada. • Iran's Pezeshkian tells Pakistan's Army Chief Asim Munir Washington must end pressure, threats and sanctions before any talks, saying "we do not trust the United States"; Munir says Pakistan is ready to help settle differences diplomatically. • A Qatari delegation arrives in Tehran, Iran's Nour News reports. • South Lebanon: Israeli artillery shells Khiam plain, Al-Mansouri and the outskirts of Zawtar Al-Sharqiya. • Hebrew media report Israel's political leadership sees swift action against Iran as vital while the IDF prefers to wait; a senior security official tells Kan there's "no concrete warning" requiring a strike, with the goal of reaching elections without escalation. • Jeddah airport reportedly halted again; cause unclear.

Oil Prices Rebound as U.S.-Iran Deal Rumors Exposed as FAKE NEWS It dropped to $106 and is now back over $108 from a peak of $112 Qatar-backed Al-Araby Al-Jadeed claims Iran agreed to surprise IAEA inspections for interest on frozen funds. NO DEAL confirmed. Pakistani Field Marshal Asim Munir's visit to Iran has produced NO announced breakthrough. Tehran has barely publicized the visit, with its only hint about the agenda pointing to reopening the Pakistan-Iran border. Meanwhile, Reuters reports Iran is preparing for CONFRONTATION, NOT peace. The U.S. is also reportedly deploying the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East. All SIGNS point to more war NOT a deal. I am not rooting for more war, but stop trusting FAKE NEWS sources.

The IRGC has officially named new targets for Phase 2 of the war. This time, they are moving on from US bases. Instead, 7 major Internet Cables running under the Strait of Hormuz have replaced them as primary targets. The whole world's Internet and Commercial Data depend on these cables. IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebi announced that once these cables are cut, repairs could take well over a year. Falcon, AAE-1, GBI, TGN-Gulf, SEA-ME-WE 5, EPEG, FIG, POI. The destruction of these cables will most likely destroy the entire Middle East. Riots are already out of control in France, Italy, Albania and several other countries. Civilians are setting shops and vehicles on fire. The cost of living has completely gone out of control because of the war. Even police officers are being beaten by masked rioters. Presidents and Prime Ministers are fearing for their lives. The Strait of Hormuz will most likely remain closed until 2029. Bab el Mandeb could also prevent Saudi from exporting their oil and raw materials to the rest of the world for years. Let's say Iran cuts off the internet across the Middle East. This will worsen the crisis for the entire world. Riots could spread to more countries. Governments could be overthrown. Robberies and murders will most likely go up. The whole world is on the verge of collapse.

🇺🇸🇮🇷 IRAN JUST TOLD TRUMP IT HAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING NEW TO SAY And Pakistan's army chief flew all the way to Tehran to hear it. Iran's parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf says Washington can forget about rebuilding trust until it meets Tehran's SEVEN conditions. That includes demands tied to sanctions, the U.S. naval blockade and the Strait of Hormuz. Ghalibaf accuses Trump of breaking the earlier Islamabad agreement and says American military threats won't change Iran's position. Meanwhile, Pakistan is trying to keep diplomacy alive, with Asim Munir announcing the reopening of the Iran-Pakistan border. Trump wants a deal. Tehran just handed him the same 7 demands and told him to read them again. Source: MEHR news / Writer: Oliver

🗞 Middle East roundup — 16:44–17:42 UTC Iran's IRGC Navy says a supertanker carrying over 2 million barrels of crude exploded and caught fire after hitting a naval mine south of the Strait of Hormuz, after ignoring warnings with its tracking systems off; IRGC warns of forceful response to any violation of Hormuz rules. • Netanyahu says Israel, with Trump, "will complete the mission and eliminate the Iranian threat permanently"; Israel Hayom cites officials seeing low odds of direct escalation with Iran before elections but warning Tehran may try to sway them via oil-price shocks. • Iran's Gen. Mohsen Rezaee says there's internal consensus against negotiations unless the US first takes steps to build trust; President Pezeshkian tells Pakistan's Army Chief regional tensions and Hormuz disruptions stem from US "warmongering." • Gaza: new Israeli drone strike wounds a second person east of Deir al-Balah; Israeli artillery shells western Rafah from eastern Khan Yunis. • South Lebanon: artillery shelling hits Wadi al-Salouqi, Meifadoun outskirts and Al-Jarmaq; machine-gun fire toward Arnoun and Zawtar Al-Sharqiya, where Israeli forces also fired phosphorus shells. • UN's Dujarric says OCHA assessed Khan Yunis displacement sites housing 650 families, including 160 in a flood-prone depression amid rain and sewage risk. • Iran Militarism channel threatens UAE desalination plants could be hit by new IRGC Navy strikes.

Oil hit $111 today as the U.S. and Israel prepare for a third—and almost certainly final—war against Iran. Israeli jets rehearsed strike routes overnight while the U.S. bombed Iran’s Konarak naval base. Then came the latest transparent ploy: Washington sent the Pakistanis with a hollow “final goodwill” offer that everyone but the reformists knows will never be honored. Oil promptly dropped to $106. Iran must stop this self-inflicted damage. These empty meetings buy nothing but temporary relief for global oil markets while the enemy prepares. The U.S. and Israel have already chosen war. Only Iran’s absolute resolve and total victory can alter that.

Here is how free the press is in the civil rights paradise that is Europe