https://www.sott.net/category/16-Puppet-Masters Signs of the Times: The World for People who Think. Featuring independent, unbiased, alternative news and commentary on world events. en-us Original content Copyright 2026 by Signs of the Times/Sott.net. For other content, see our Fair Use Policy at www.sott.net. Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:57:23 +0000 https://www.sott.net/images/sottlogo_rss.jpg SOTT.net https://www.sott.net https://www.sott.net/article/505629-War-in-Iran-Season-1-Trump-0-Iran-1 While more at home on the golf course than in the Persian Gulf, Donald Trump had initially presented the war against Iran as a "little excursion." Not known for his strategic patience, he wanted results fast. The original objectives were the fall of the Islamic regime and the complete destruction of its military capabilities. Now, four weeks since hostilities began, none of that has come to pass. The Iranians have taken control of the Strait of Hormuz, and their coastline — stretching 1,600 kilometers — is bristling with missiles, drones, and military speedboats. The Houthis of Yemen are threatening to close in turn the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb, which locks access to the Red Sea. In Lebanon, where one million people have been displaced (one in ten inhabitants), the Israelis make no secret of their intention to militarily occupy the south of the country up to the Litani River. The price of crude oil has surpassed 100 dollars a barrel, a rise from which Vladimir Putin is the principal... https://www.sott.net/article/505629-War-in-Iran-Season-1-Trump-0-Iran-1 Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:51:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505628-Evidence-pointing-to-Ukraine-being-behind-TurkStream-attempted-sabotage That should come as no surprise In September 2022, when the Ukrainians destroyed Nord Stream, they were allegedly planning a double attack, with the other target being the TurkStream Secret service documents allegedly prove that the Ukrainians planned to blow up the Turkish and Blue Stream pipelines years ago, permanently cutting Europe off from cheap Russian gas, reports Magyar Nemzet, citing a report out of Ellenpont. However, Serbia's intelligence chief is denying that Ukrainians were the perpetrators, instead claiming that they had reports of a possible attack planned by a certain migrant gang group of radical muslims but had not considered it legitimate intel. However, this same chief also does not rule out that Ukraine was the contractor behind the scheme. The Serbian section of the Turkish Stream gas pipeline was set on fire in a sabotage operation on Sunday. Since this pipeline supplies Hungary with gas, blowing up the pipeline would have put the country's gas supply at... https://www.sott.net/article/505628-Evidence-pointing-to-Ukraine-being-behind-TurkStream-attempted-sabotage Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:47:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505627-Israel-completely-destroys-Tehran-synagogue-in-missile-attack The AP, AFP, and others have cited Iranian state media to say that US-Israeli strikes have "completely destroyed" a synagogue in Tehran, as attacks have intensified overnight and into Tuesday. "According to preliminary information, the Rafi-Nia Synagogue ... was completely destroyed in this morning's attacks," the Shargh newspaper reported. Mehr news agency describes the synagogue was destroyed when an adjacent residential building in central Tehran was bombed in an aerial attacks. Footage from the scene showed Hebrew-language books scattered on the ground and amid the rubble. Rescue efforts searching for bystanders ensued in the area. There have been no initial reports of casualties. Israeli media, specifically the Jerusalem Post, has actually confirmed the destruction, noting that both Iran's Jewish parliament representative as well as the synagogue's Persian Jewish rabbi have condemned the attack in visits to the scene: https://www.sott.net/article/505627-Israel-completely-destroys-Tehran-synagogue-in-missile-attack Wed, 08 Apr 2026 21:32:39 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505625-China-in-a-post-hegemonic-era-Testing-the-limits-of-diplomatic-power China's call for Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and its proposal for a multilateral peace initiative signal more than a diplomatic intervention. They reflect Beijing's gradual emergence as a geopolitical actor seeking to shape conflict management in a context of declining hegemonic coordination and increasing fragmentation of the international order. Chinese President Xi Jinping's recent statement calling for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon — and warning against the risk of the region "becoming another Gaza" — should not be read merely as rhetorical positioning. Rather, it signals a calibrated step in Beijing's gradual insertion into Middle Eastern diplomacy, reflecting both normative framing and strategic intent, as I will try to explain below. At the normative level, China's emphasis on sovereignty and territorial integrity is consistent with its long-standing foreign policy doctrine. By framing the situation as a violation of Lebanon's... https://www.sott.net/article/505625-China-in-a-post-hegemonic-era-Testing-the-limits-of-diplomatic-power Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:25:27 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505624-Slippery-slope-of-oil-smuggling-operations-Turkey-Georgia-and-Israel-4-starters The shadow infrastructure of oil flows in Eurasia reveals hidden mechanisms where economics, politics, and intelligence intersect more deeply than is commonly acknowledged. Much of the oil from the Caspian Basin, the Caucasus, and Northern Iraq and Iran finds its way to global markets through Georgia and Turkey. That is the known reality. But as former U.S. officials have noted, the real story lies in the "known unknowns" and the "unknown unknowns" — the shadow networks, shady deals, and covert routes that shape the region's energy trade. Nonetheless, amid escalating rhetoric and renewed arm-twisting campaigns, the topic of oil is again front and center. With Donald Trump signaling a tougher approach, he thought he could impose a Venezuela-style blockade against Iran, not to mention starting the war, pretty much on his mood at the time and advice from some clown advisors. The stakes are rising, and few are willing to stand in his corner, provide ships to back him up, or close ranks... https://www.sott.net/article/505624-Slippery-slope-of-oil-smuggling-operations-Turkey-Georgia-and-Israel-4-starters Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:25:04 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505623-Petrodollar-under-siege-The-Iran-Wars-hidden-battlefield The Iran war is exposing the fragility of U.S. financial dominance as the Strait of Hormuz turns into a geopolitical pressure point. Disruptions to oil flows are accelerating challenges to the petrodollar system and dollar supremacy. What looks like strategic leverage may ultimately prove a costly Pyrrhic victory. The debate of a shifting world order, or simply put, 'the end of Western dominance,' has been in the pipeline for the last decade or two. The emergence of multiple power centers, in particular the PRC's peaceful rise, has created an alternative governance model whereby the international community can potentially now bypass the US monopoly. Various China-led international organisations, such as BRICS or the SCO, are providing alternative pathways to the Global South for mutual development and growth. However, the US has always maintained a dominant position in the international arena due to the dollar hegemony. https://www.sott.net/article/505623-Petrodollar-under-siege-The-Iran-Wars-hidden-battlefield Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:24:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505622-Why-the-US-regime-pretends-Israels-nuclear-weapons-dont-exist It's difficult to find much of anything we might call "good" coming out of the current US-Israel war against Iran. Yet, one positive development has been the fact that Israel's deceitful practice of pretending it has no nuclear weapons program is now untenable. The renewal of the discussion around Israel's nuclear arms program was prompted in part by Iranian missile strikes in the area of Dimona, a city in southern Israel known to house Israel's nuclear research facilities. In a March 22 report on the strikes by the Jerusalem Post, the ongoing denials by the Israeli state are noted: "In the 1960s, then prime minister Levi Eshkol vowed that Israel will not be the first state to introduce nuclear weapons into the region. The sentiment has been repeated by Israeli officials since." Yet, the article goes on to note: "It is generally accepted that the facility [near Dimona] produced plutonium for the alleged nuclear arsenal. Modern assessments, such as a 2025 report from the Stockholm... https://www.sott.net/article/505622-Why-the-US-regime-pretends-Israels-nuclear-weapons-dont-exist Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:23:35 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505621-US-Israeli-aggression-against-Iran-has-set-entire-region-on-fire-Kremlin The Kremlin has warned that the ongoing US-Israeli war of aggression against Iran has engulfed the entire Persian Gulf and West Asia, setting the region "on fire" with dangerous and far-reaching consequences. Speaking to reporters on Monday, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that the aggression is rapidly escalating both in geography and economic impact. "In fact, the entire region is on fire. These are all very dangerous and negative consequences of the aggression that was unleashed against Iran. The geography of this conflict has expanded, and now we are all aware of the consequences that we have, including very, very negative consequences for the global economy. We note that the level of tension in the region is growing and continues to grow." The remarks come as US President Donald Trump recently threatened on social media to strike Iranian civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, as early as Tuesday. https://www.sott.net/article/505621-US-Israeli-aggression-against-Iran-has-set-entire-region-on-fire-Kremlin Wed, 08 Apr 2026 20:22:39 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505620-Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-announces-creation-of-National-Fraud-Enforcement-Division "There will be an additional 93 prosecutors in every district across the country devoted to the mission of combating fraud with the National Fraud Enforcement Division," he told reporters. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Tuesday announced the creation of a National Fraud Enforcement Division at the Department of Justice, marking a significant step in the Trump administration's efforts to crack down on misuse of public funds. https://www.sott.net/article/505620-Acting-AG-Todd-Blanche-announces-creation-of-National-Fraud-Enforcement-Division Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:57:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505618-Barbaria-strategically-surrenders-Civilization-wins-For-now This was always about Civilization. "A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again." History will register it with a gaze as pitiless as the Sun. An astonishing barbarian imprimatur, courtesy of the President of the United States, via a social media post. In a nutshell, this was a trashy "civilization" that gave the world the Big Mac threatening to wipe out an ancient civilization that gave the world algebra; influenced art, science, governance in unparalleled ways; produced stars from Cyrus the Great to Avicenna, from Omar Khayyam to poet supreme Jalaladdin Rumi; developed serial, sublime gardens, carpets, architectural wonders and philosophical and ethical frameworks. Crucially, there was not a single peep about this Barbaria outburst from the political leadership of the entire "civilized" collective West, not even feigning outrage, once again proving their absolute, irreversible moral and political bankruptcy. Iranians answered Barbaria in kind. Over 14... https://www.sott.net/article/505618-Barbaria-strategically-surrenders-Civilization-wins-For-now Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:31:04 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505612-Epstein-files-show-financial-ties-to-DOD-deputy-secretary-Feinberg DOD Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg is referenced in 20 documents in the Epstein files, while the company he founded, Cerberus, appears in 360 files Hundreds of documents in the newly released Epstein files shed light on connections between the sex offender and Cerberus Capital Management, a private equity firm formerly led by Department of Defense Deputy Secretary Steve Feinberg. Feinberg, a billionaire who cofounded the private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, is referenced by name in at least 20 documents in the Epstein files, while his company Cerberus appears in 360 files - including in emailed communications with Epstein himself. The emails raise questions regarding Feinberg's company's ties to the disgraced financier and sex criminal. Feinberg has already come under fire over business practices at Cerberus. He stepped down from his role as CEO in 2025 in order to accept the second-highest ranking position in the Pentagon. "Your private equity record is rife with... https://www.sott.net/article/505612-Epstein-files-show-financial-ties-to-DOD-deputy-secretary-Feinberg Wed, 08 Apr 2026 11:33:43 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505607-Take-that-Putin-Physical-crude-hits-150-a-barrel Physical crude hit just under $150 a barrel today. A record - been done before in the history of oil markets. But the real story isn't the number. It's what happened in the twenty minutes before the close. This is what the oil market looked like today... a market that has completely lost its mind. Trump posts "a whole civilization will die tonight" at 7:45am and oil spikes to war highs. Vance says the war is basically over and military objectives completed at 8:15am and oil dips. Iran suspends all diplomatic communications at 9am so oil screams back to highs. An hour later the New York Times confirms Iran has stopped negotiations entirely — oil spikes, stocks dump hard. Eleven minutes later Tehran Times says talks are actually not closed and oil reverses. China and Russia veto the UN Security Council motion on Hormuz at noon and oil drops again. Then Iran and the US and Israel all simultaneously accelerate strikes and oil rises. Then for no obvious reason whatsoever oil plunges and... https://www.sott.net/article/505607-Take-that-Putin-Physical-crude-hits-150-a-barrel Wed, 08 Apr 2026 00:42:45 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505606-MTG-demands-25th-Amendment-for-Trump-as-election-to-replace-her-begins Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) escalated her rift with President Donald Trump by calling for the 25th Amendment to be invoked against him as voters in Georgia's 14th Congressional District headed to the polls in the special election to replace her following her January resignation. Trump warned on Truth Social Tuesday morning that Iran's "whole civilization will die tonight" unless "something revolutionarily wonderful" occurs following what he described as "Complete and Total Regime Change." He wrote that "47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end," and said the world would find out Tuesday night during what he called "one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World." Greene responded on X, "25TH AMENDMENT!!! Not a single bomb has dropped on America. We cannot kill an entire civilization. This is evil and madness." https://www.sott.net/article/505606-MTG-demands-25th-Amendment-for-Trump-as-election-to-replace-her-begins Tue, 07 Apr 2026 22:02:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505605-All-German-men-aged-17-45-required-to-get-army-approval-for-trips-abroad-lasting-over-3-months All German men aged between 17 and 45 now need approval from the Bundeswehr - i.e., the German army - for longer stays abroad. Under the new Military Service Act, this applies to trips abroad lasting more than three months, the Defence Ministry has announced. The daily Frankfurter Rundschau was the first to report on the change. The rule is part of what is known as the Military Service Modernisation Act, which came into force on 1 January 2026. The law is intended to ensure that the Bundeswehr is fit for the future in terms of personnel and organization. Plans include, among other things, a more attractive form of voluntary military service, broader registration of young men and new legal instruments to enable faster action if needed. What the new law says Specifically, this concerns paragraph 3 of the Conscription Act, which governs the scope and duration of compulsory military service in Germany. Paragraph 1 states: "Compulsory military service is fulfilled by military service or... https://www.sott.net/article/505605-All-German-men-aged-17-45-required-to-get-army-approval-for-trips-abroad-lasting-over-3-months Tue, 07 Apr 2026 21:47:01 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505604-IRGC-strikes-US-Israeli-military-industrial-sites-in-wave-98-of-Operation-True-Promise-4 The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has launched the 98th wave of the decisive Operation True Promise 4, targeting command, operational and logistics centers, as well as military-industrial infrastructure used by the United States and Israel in the region. In a statement released on Monday, the IRGC's Public Relations Department said during the first phase of the combined operations, IRGC naval forces precisely targeted the Israeli-owned container ship SDN7 with a cruise missile. Meanwhile, the statement said, Iranian ballistic missiles struck northern and southern areas of Tel Aviv, strategic sites in Haifa, chemical companies and factories in Beersheba, and a gathering point of Israeli forces in Petah Tikva. The elite Iranian military force also said the American amphibious helicopter carrier LHA7, transporting more than 5,000 sailors and marines, came under Iran's attack and was forced to retreat deeper into the southern Indian Ocean. https://www.sott.net/article/505604-IRGC-strikes-US-Israeli-military-industrial-sites-in-wave-98-of-Operation-True-Promise-4 Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:39:27 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505603-How-the-neoconservative-influence-over-US-war-making-paved-the-way-for-Trumps-war-crimes-in-Iran Donald Trump's naked threats to target Iran's civilian infrastructure are the culmination of a strand of neoconservative thought that has defined U.S. war-making over three decades, from the Iraq war to Obama's drone campaigns to the Gaza genocide. On Sunday morning, as Christians across Iran and the world marked Easter, Donald Trump posted a profanity-laced ultimatum on Truth Social: "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran," he wrote. "Open the Fuckin' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell — JUST WATCH!" The post was the latest in a week of escalating threats — to bomb Iran "back to the Stone Ages," to destroy its power plants, bridges, and "possibly all desalinization plants" after a ten-day deadline issued on March 26 expires at 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Over a hundred international law experts have already warned that targeting civilian infrastructure constitutes a war crime under the Geneva Convention. Trump,... https://www.sott.net/article/505603-How-the-neoconservative-influence-over-US-war-making-paved-the-way-for-Trumps-war-crimes-in-Iran Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:38:40 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505602-US-satellite-firm-blacks-out-Iran-war-images-per-US-government-request Planet Labs says it will "indefinitely withhold" satellite visuals of Iran and the wider Middle East war zone after a request from the US government and the Trump administration. In an email to customers, the firm said it is shifting to a "managed distribution" model, releasing imagery only case-by-case for "urgent, mission-critical requirements," or when release is deemed "in the public interest." Planet also said it will withhold imagery dating back to March 9, and it expects the policy to remain in effect until the conflict ends. On March 6, Planet Labs announced a mandatory 96-hour delay on new imagery collected over the Gulf states, arguing that near-real-time pictures could be exploited to "endanger allied, NATO, and civilian personnel." That measure later expanded into a 14-day delay, described by Planet as an extension of the earlier hold. By March 30, Al Jazeera's Digital Investigations unit was reporting that independent verification had become harder as commercial... https://www.sott.net/article/505602-US-satellite-firm-blacks-out-Iran-war-images-per-US-government-request Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:33:57 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505599-US-suffered-major-strategic-defeat-in-failed-Isfahan-operation Information obtained by Press TV regarding the recent operation by the US-Israeli coalition in the central Isfahan province reveals a major strategic defeat for the enemy. US President Donald Trump's frantic threats in the past few days to target Iran's civilian infrastructure, including power plants and bridges, are a direct consequence of the heavy defeat suffered by the US forces in the Isfahan operation. The failed raid was carried out after the enemy conducted extensive aerial reconnaissance operations in the days leading up to the attack, according to the exclusive information. During those initial infiltration and reconnaissance missions, the US and possibly the Zionist regime lost a significant number of aircraft, including at least one A-10 Thunderbolt II and two Black Hawk helicopters. The information obtained by Press TV reveals that "zero hour" for the failed Isfahan operation was set during a secret meeting at the White House under the direct supervision of the US... https://www.sott.net/article/505599-US-suffered-major-strategic-defeat-in-failed-Isfahan-operation Tue, 07 Apr 2026 18:07:12 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505595-Trump-dragging-Americans-into-hell-Iranian-parliament-speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has dismissed the US president's threat to bomb civilian infrastructure unless the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened. US President Donald Trump's war with Iran is making life worse for ordinary Americans, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf has said in response to ultimatums over the Strait of Hormuz. In an expletive-laden post on Truth Social on Sunday, Trump warned that Iran would be "living in hell" unless the vital waterway is reopened to shipping by Tuesday, 8 PM Eastern Time (midnight GMT). He also repeated his threat to bomb Iranian power plants and bridges. Responding on X, Qalibaf urged Trump to end what he described as a "dangerous game." "Your reckless moves are dragging the United States into a living HELL for every single family, and our whole region is going to burn because you insist on following Netanyahu's commands," Qalibaf wrote, referring to the Israeli prime minister. "Make no mistake: You won't gain anything through war... https://www.sott.net/article/505595-Trump-dragging-Americans-into-hell-Iranian-parliament-speaker Tue, 07 Apr 2026 10:56:55 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505592-The-Iran-war-is-a-political-project-from-the-Torah Many aspects of the US-Israeli aggression look like attempts to fulfil biblical prophecies. The current conflict between Iran and Israel isn't a classic war driven by strict geopolitical interests. Certainly, the rivalry between the two countries is very well known and everybody focuses on the Strait of Hormuz and the dramatic economic consequences of its disruption. Of course, a lot of people rightly observed the timing: this sudden turn of events has been perfect to bury the Epstein scandal under Palestinian, Lebanese, and Iranian (and even Israeli) rubble. But aren't these considerations purely temporary? The conflict initiated by Israel (and into which it drew the US, as Joe Kent explained when he gave his resignation as director of US counterterrorism) can be seen as a completely irrational religious and eschatological adventure driven by Hebraic mythology. Let's try to take a look at three of its main pillars. https://www.sott.net/article/505592-The-Iran-war-is-a-political-project-from-the-Torah Tue, 07 Apr 2026 07:27:25 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505591-Revisiting-the-four-Iran-War-endgames-The-peak-pressure-points A Yogi Berra Kind of Weekend There is something special about "home openers." The baseball season can drag on, but the home opener is such a great reminder that summer is on the way and that the possibility of winning it all remains in your reach. Maybe that is why I have Yogi Berra on my mind. Or maybe, and far more likely, it is because a lot of recent discussions seem to lend themselves well to Yogi-isms. It is easy to start a conversation with a mindset of "we are pulling out soon, with a weak deal," and wind up ending at "we are all-in" for a final victory. And vice versa. It ain't over 'til it's over. When you come to a fork in the road, take it. I didn't really say everything I said. The future ain't what it used to be To name a few. On Wednesday we published our take on the likely and possible paths we would be on after the Presidential Address. After the address, all we could say was - all the paths are still in play. If that isn't in the realm of Yogi Berra, nothing is. https://www.sott.net/article/505591-Revisiting-the-four-Iran-War-endgames-The-peak-pressure-points Mon, 06 Apr 2026 22:35:41 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505588-EU-Parliament-shocks-Brussels-cabal-Rejects-chat-surveillance-approves-deportation-centers Brussels' assault on industry and small-to-medium businesses is a child of German ideology. This applies not only to the absurd climate battle; German statism also reveals itself in the proposed spying system of EU-wide chat surveillance. The open-border policies, executed in the style of a hippie state, can be attributed equally and without hesitation to Germany's political record of this century. Three dramatic political miscalculations, three intellectual detonations, leading to devastating societal consequences. All made in Germany, but certainly not made for Germany. Berlin's climate crusade and hippie ideology have inflicted severe economic and societal damage on the European Union, sparking a social movement that points to deep internal cultural and social conflicts. The next generation will struggle to preserve its identity in Europe and assert itself politically. That this identity is not even articulated on a national German level guarantees the exclusion of the AfD under... https://www.sott.net/article/505588-EU-Parliament-shocks-Brussels-cabal-Rejects-chat-surveillance-approves-deportation-centers Mon, 06 Apr 2026 20:04:03 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505587-Why-Iran-is-becoming-Trumps-forever-war As long as attacks and demands continue unabated, reasonable voices for peace will never be heard More than a month into the war with Iran, Washington is confronting the strategic nightmare it tried to avoid. What began as a campaign that many in the US and Israel appear to have imagined as short, punishing, and politically manageable has instead become prolonged, expensive, globally destabilizing, and increasingly difficult to define as success. The battlefield logic is now inseparable from the political logic, and on both fronts the pressure is mounting on Donald Trump's administration. Reuters reports that the conflict, launched on February 28, has disrupted global energy flows, driven oil sharply higher, pushed US gasoline prices above four dollars a gallon, and dragged US President Donald Trump's approval rating down to 36%, the lowest level since his return to office. How to sell a war A domestic audience can be persuaded to see a short war as an act of decisive leadership,... https://www.sott.net/article/505587-Why-Iran-is-becoming-Trumps-forever-war Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:35:32 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505586-Trump-says-Tuesday-deadline-for-Iran-to-accept-ceasefire-final-wont-change-Israel-takes-out-experienced-IRGC-intel-chief Summary: A Sunday night Axios report on a US-proposed 45-day ceasefire has by Monday morning been rejected by Iran, which later on Monday issued a 10-point letter via Pakistan. Israel strikes large petrochemical plant at South Pars, which is responsible for half of the country's petrochemical production. Trump reaffirms Tuesday deadline before vital infrastructure gets attacked as 'final', calls Americans opposed to Iran war 'foolish' - saying it's all about Tehran not getting a nuke. Israel kills experienced longtime head of IRGC intelligence; Iranian missile strike on Haifa residential complex kills 4. With all that in mind, the odds of a ceasefire by April 30, 2026 are rising (but still low)...28% IRGC Intel Chief Taken Out; Israel Suffers Heavy Casualties The head of the Intelligence Organization of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was killed in a Monday airstrike, according to confirmation in Iranian media. IRGC-linked Tasnim News Agency reported that the IRGC... https://www.sott.net/article/505586-Trump-says-Tuesday-deadline-for-Iran-to-accept-ceasefire-final-wont-change-Israel-takes-out-experienced-IRGC-intel-chief Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:34:52 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505585-Agents-of-Influence-How-Netanyahu-through-Trumps-family-circle-dragged-America-into-war-to-save-his-own-skin The Resignation That Exposed the Mechanism of Betrayal of U.S. National Interests. On March 19, 2026, an event occurred that, in a normal political system, should have caused an earthquake. Joe Kent, Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, resigned. But not for family reasons or due to "differences over strategic issues" — the euphemisms Washington typically uses to cover up the departure of those who have fallen out of favor. Kent stepped down with a public statement that reads like an indictment: "I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran." This is not just a resignation. It's the removal of a seal behind which lay the ugly truth about how foreign policy decisions are actually made in the United States. Kent, a veteran of special forces and the CIA, a man whose wife died in Syria while on duty, stated what Washington usually prefers to keep quiet: the Trump administration launched a war with Iran under pressure from Israel and its powerful lobby.... https://www.sott.net/article/505585-Agents-of-Influence-How-Netanyahu-through-Trumps-family-circle-dragged-America-into-war-to-save-his-own-skin Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:34:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505584-Araghchi-demands-UN-action-to-condemn-US-Israeli-war-crimes-in-phone-call-with-Russian-FM Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has held a telephone conversation with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, during which he outlined the systematic crimes perpetrated by the United States and the Israeli regime against the Iranian people over the past 37 days. Araghchi on Sunday condemned the repeated US and Israeli aggressions that have targeted Iran's industrial and production infrastructure, hospitals, schools, residential neighborhoods, as well as its nuclear facilities and scientific centers. He stressed that these barbaric attacks represent flagrant violations of international law and basic humanitarian norms, and demanded urgent action from relevant international bodies -- especially the United Nations Security Council and the International Atomic Energy Agency -- to officially condemn the crimes and bring the aggressors to justice. https://www.sott.net/article/505584-Araghchi-demands-UN-action-to-condemn-US-Israeli-war-crimes-in-phone-call-with-Russian-FM Mon, 06 Apr 2026 19:32:42 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505579-Its-Official-US-Boots-On-Ground-Deep-Inside-Iran-Amidst-Another-Day-of-Humiliating-Losses The morning broke with news of a large-scale US operation to supposedly extract the second downed pilot (WSO - Weapons Systems Officer) from Iran, who had ejected from his shot-down F-15E on Thursday. The scale of losses for this operation alone turned out to be massive, as the US lost hundreds of millions worth of planes allegedly getting the airman back to safety. The operation involved all kinds of Special Forces units which amounted to "boots on ground" inside Iran for the first time — at least officially. The story is roughly as follows: The F-15E went down over "southwestern Iran" on Thursday, with the second crewman reportedly making first radio contact around noon on Friday, wherein he had climbed a mountain to transmit his emergency signal. https://www.sott.net/article/505579-Its-Official-US-Boots-On-Ground-Deep-Inside-Iran-Amidst-Another-Day-of-Humiliating-Losses Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:02:34 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505577-Fun-With-AI-3-Learned-Helplessness-The-Architecture-of-Self-Disabling Learned helplessness isn't just a psychological quirk — it's one of the most elegant control mechanisms ever engineered. In this installment, Mandatory Intellectomy dissects how modern institutions (from schools to healthcare to finance) systematically train people to doubt their own capabilities, defer to 'experts,' and collaborate in their own disempowerment. Properly prompted AI cuts through the noise to reveal the pattern: the System doesn't need constant brute force when people police themselves from the inside. Today, we present another fun discussion between Mandatory Intellectomy and his friendly AI sidekicks. But, before we dive in, I'd just like to remind the reader of a few salient facts about using AI. Knowledge isn't mere accumulation of data but a navigation of perceptions, biases, and justifications toward ontological alignment (what is). Consider two books: "Thinking: Fast and Slow" by Daniel Kahneman and "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell. Yes, we humans can make mistakes... https://www.sott.net/article/505577-Fun-With-AI-3-Learned-Helplessness-The-Architecture-of-Self-Disabling Mon, 06 Apr 2026 12:25:08 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505573-Ukraine-aims-to-build-a-temple-dedicated-to-Nazi-criminals-against-humanity Director of the Ukrainian presidential administration General Kyrylo Budanov chaired a meeting on March 28, 2026, for the "creation of a pantheon of eminent Ukrainians". He said: "This is the reburial on the territory of Ukraine of prominent Ukrainians who died abroad. This is not an easy task, as they are scattered across the globe — both in friendly and unfriendly countries. We need to start as soon as possible, because the restoration of historical memory is a very important issue, especially in times of war for sovereignty and independence." Deputy Foreign Minister Mariana Betsa said she had identified the burial sites of 98 Ukrainians in 21 countries. According to her, these include political, military, cultural and public figures from the Ukrainian People's Republic, the Western Ukrainian People's Republic, the OUN-UPA, the government-in-exile and national liberation movements. https://www.sott.net/article/505573-Ukraine-aims-to-build-a-temple-dedicated-to-Nazi-criminals-against-humanity Mon, 06 Apr 2026 01:13:37 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505569-The-unforeseen-consequences-of-Iranian-resistance By resisting the illegal attack on their country by Israel and the United States, the Iranians brought the "paper tiger" to its knees. In a matter of days, they demonstrated that the Pentagon's sophisticated and expensive weapons were ill-suited to their highly economical approach to warfare. They disrupted the global oil market, which underpins the US dollar. Finally, they provided a new model that all opponents of Anglo-Saxon dominance are now considering. It has already led China to completely revise its defense plans in the event of a US attack on Taiwan. The war against Iran is unlike any other. For the first time, the targets destroyed are of little importance. The protagonists are focused on the economic consequences of their actions. This experience is revolutionizing the way wars are waged and has already led the Chinese People's Liberation Army to revise its battle plans. A Shaheh drone costs approximately $35,000. To shoot it down, the United States would need to launch... https://www.sott.net/article/505569-The-unforeseen-consequences-of-Iranian-resistance Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:07:12 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505568-Inside-Irans-underground-fortress-How-Irans-missile-bases-survive-most-powerful-US-and-Israeli-bombs While Donald Trump claimed that Iran's capabilities were mostly destroyed, data shows that Iran continues to launch a high number of missiles and drones without major decline. A recent report by U.S. intelligence agencies says that Iran still has strong attack capabilities, even after more than a month of U.S. and Israeli strikes. According to the report, nearly half of Iran's missile launchers are still intact, and it also has thousands of one-way attack drones. A source said that Iran is still capable of causing major destruction across the region. In addition, Iran still has a large number of missiles and coastal defense cruise missiles, which could play an important role in controlling the Strait of Hormuz. Claims vs Reality: What Did the U.S. President Say? The U.S. President, Donald Trump, claimed that Iran's missile and drone capabilities have been almost destroyed. However, the actual situation appears different. Since February 28, Iran has launched around 6,770 missiles... https://www.sott.net/article/505568-Inside-Irans-underground-fortress-How-Irans-missile-bases-survive-most-powerful-US-and-Israeli-bombs Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:04:03 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505567-Israels-push-for-Somaliland-base-raises-fears-of-wider-war A security presence in the Horn of Africa could draw an already fragile region into Middle East war. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that Israel is in talks with Somaliland officials to form a strategic security partnership, which might include granting Israel access to a military base or other security installation along the Somaliland coast from which it can launch attacks against Yemen's Houthi rebels. With war raging in the Middle East, the Horn of Africa is a particularly important geoeconomic and geopolitical puzzle piece. Its location near the Bab el-Mandeb strait, which connects ships traveling through the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the Indian Ocean, makes it a strategic location from the perspective of global shipping, 10% to 12% of which travels through the strait annually. For Israel, Somaliland's strategic importance stems from its close proximity to Yemen. Israeli military officials have long sought to destroy the capability of Houthi rebels to attack Israel as... https://www.sott.net/article/505567-Israels-push-for-Somaliland-base-raises-fears-of-wider-war Sun, 05 Apr 2026 20:02:47 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505554-Trump-has-no-good-options-to-resolve-the-disaster-he-created-in-Iran Trump faces a disaster of his own making in Iran. He had no plan to address Iran's predictable retaliation, including closing the Strait of Hormuz, but even if he did, he faces another problem: Israel, his disastrous choice for a partner in crime. U.S. President Donald Trump addressed the American public on Wednesday, but he didn't have anything new to say. That lack of any substance is emblematic of the entire criminal and foolish war he agreed to launch on Iran. The American war effort is a disaster. While the United States and Israel have inflicted enormous damage on Iran and killed and injured thousands of innocent civilians both there and in Lebanon, the actual gains are minimal, and to the extent that there were any goals for this war, they haven't been achieved. When Trump announced that he would speak Wednesday night, many thought he was going to announce a timetable for an American departure from this war, but all we got was more of the same "four weeks" guesswork that we... https://www.sott.net/article/505554-Trump-has-no-good-options-to-resolve-the-disaster-he-created-in-Iran Sat, 04 Apr 2026 20:22:20 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505553-US-lifts-sanctions-on-Venezuela-acting-president This comes as the US warms to Caracas after kidnapping President Nicolas Maduro and forcing his government to comply. The US has removed the sanctions on interim Venezuelan President Delcy Rodriguez, according to the Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control. The move was announced on Wednesday and marks a significant policy shift as Washington builds closer ties with Caracas after kidnapping Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro earlier this year. US President Donald Trump previously warned Rodriguez that she could face an even higher price than Maduro if she did not comply with the administration's conditions. However, he later changed his rhetoric and called relations with her "very good." Trump said last month that the US "formally recognized" the interim government. In March, Reuters cited four people familiar with the matter as saying that the Trump administration was quietly building a legal case against Rodriguez. Federal prosecutors reportedly put together... https://www.sott.net/article/505553-US-lifts-sanctions-on-Venezuela-acting-president Sat, 04 Apr 2026 20:15:18 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505549-End-of-NATO-The-military-bloc-is-an-essential-tool-for-US-warmongering U.S. President Trump threatened again this week that he would quit the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). He called the military alliance a "paper tiger" and said the withdrawal of the United States from the bloc was "beyond consideration." It is extraordinary the spectacle of contempt from a U.S. president towards a supposed pillar of the Western order. And it is amusing to see how European vassals are clutching their pearls, fearful of "daddy" abandoning them. There is indeed a historic rupture in the transatlantic alliance that has defined eight decades of U.S.-European relations. The rupture is a positive sign of weakening Western imperialist powers, leading to fractious infighting and recriminations. But it is too early to pronounce the end of NATO. That's because ultimately, U.S. warmongering relies on the bloc as a tool, militarily and politically. Trump's contempt for NATO goes back to his first administration (2017-2021), when he first warned that he would take the... https://www.sott.net/article/505549-End-of-NATO-The-military-bloc-is-an-essential-tool-for-US-warmongering Sat, 04 Apr 2026 17:47:06 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505541-His-Majestys-head-chopper-Syrias-MI6-backed-president-bows-to-King-Charles Ahmed al-Sharaa's Downing Street visit offered him a reunion with the British intel operatives who groomed the former Al Qaeda warlord to become president of Syria. When Syria's "interim" leader Ahmed al-Sharaa touched down in London on March 31, he was given a much warmer welcome than many once thought possible. As the longtime leader of Syria's Al-Qaeda branch, the US had been offering a $10 million bounty for information on his location just 15 months prior. Yet here was Al-Sharaa, proudly posing for photo ops with King Charles and Prime Minister Keir Starmer. British intelligence had been working towards this day for almost two decades. The path for al-Sharaa's rule was cleared by MI6 after years of mentoring under Jonathan Powell, who now serves as National Security Advisor to Starmer. The time had come for Britain to formally anoint its Syrian puppet. The ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran, and the Strait of Hormuz's closure, were reportedly at the top of Starmer and al-Sharaa's... https://www.sott.net/article/505541-His-Majestys-head-chopper-Syrias-MI6-backed-president-bows-to-King-Charles Sat, 04 Apr 2026 07:40:04 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505540-This-company-used-to-make-weapons-for-the-Nazis-Now-it-will-do-the-same-for-Israel Volkswagen is planning to convert one of its factories to produce Iron Dome components. One of Germany's biggest and most iconic car manufacturers, Volkswagen (VW) and one of Israel's most well-known arms manufacturers, Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, part of the global Rafael Group, are planning to collaborate. If the project is realized, VW will convert one of its German factories in the historic city of Osnabrueck from making automobiles to producing components of Israel's Iron Dome missile defense system. There are good reasons why this has raised eyebrows. For one thing, it reflects not only VW's growing problems, but those of Germany's vital automobile sector and the German economy as a whole. As the Financial Times has noted, the VW-Rafael project would mark "the highest-profile example yet of the German car industry, where profits have plunged," trying to save itself by entering the "booming defense sector." These plunging profits are due to many factors: Chinese... https://www.sott.net/article/505540-This-company-used-to-make-weapons-for-the-Nazis-Now-it-will-do-the-same-for-Israel Fri, 03 Apr 2026 22:15:38 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505537-Murdering-peace-Senior-Iranian-official-involved-in-reaching-out-to-Vance-severely-wounded-in-airstrike A top Iranian official who was involved in diplomatic outreach and indirect talks or messaging with the United States and Pakistani mediators was reportedly critically wounded in a US-Israeli strike. Kamal Kharazi, an 81-year-old senior adviser to Tehran and former foreign minister, lost his wife in the Wednesday strike on his home, state media has said. Kharazi chairs Iran's Strategic Council on Foreign Relations and has been viewed as a potential backchannel negotiator involving Islamabad, but now he's been hospitalized with serious injuries, state media has also said. "We have seen what looks like an assassination attempt against the former foreign minister, Kamal Kharazi ... We don't know why he's been targeted. He has been gravely wounded, and his wife was killed," said an Al Jazeera correspondent in Tehran. https://www.sott.net/article/505537-Murdering-peace-Senior-Iranian-official-involved-in-reaching-out-to-Vance-severely-wounded-in-airstrike Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:55:39 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505536-Irans-friends-are-about-to-make-life-much-more-difficult-for-Israel-and-the-US Lebanese Hezbollah, Iraqi armed groups and the Houthis in Yemen are helping the Islamic Republic widen the conflict and raise its costs The war's second 'ring of fire' is no longer forming around Iran. It is already there. What we are witnessing is not a limited clash between a state under pressure and its immediate enemies, but the gradual emergence of a wider regional confrontation in which Tehran's allied forces are moving from symbolic solidarity to practical engagement. In Lebanon, Iraq, and now once again in Yemen, groups aligned with Iran are opening new fronts and making any American or Israeli campaign far more difficult to execute. If Iran cannot stop pressure by matching superior military power plane for plane or missile for missile, it can still answer by stretching the battlefield across time and space. That is the real significance of the current escalation. Wars are easiest to sell and easiest to sustain when they look concentrated, technically manageable, and... https://www.sott.net/article/505536-Irans-friends-are-about-to-make-life-much-more-difficult-for-Israel-and-the-US Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:45:38 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505534-Analysis-shows-new-type-of-US-missile-hit-Iranian-sports-hall-and-school The Pentagon used missiles untested in combat in a deadly attack that struck civilian sites near a military compound on Feb. 28, according to visual evidence examined by The Times and weapons experts. On the first day of the war with Iran, a weapon bearing the hallmarks of a newly developed U.S.-made ballistic missile was used in an attack that struck a sports hall and adjacent elementary school near a military facility in southern Iran, according to weapons experts and a visual analysis by The New York Times. Local officials cited in Iranian media said the strike and others nearby in the city of Lamerd killed at least 21 people. The Feb. 28 attack occurred the same day as a U.S. Tomahawk cruise missile struck a school in the city of Minab, several hundred miles away, killing 175 people. In the case of Lamerd, though, it involved a weapon that had been untested in combat. The Times verified videos of two strikes in Lamerd, as well as aftermath footage from the attacks. Times... https://www.sott.net/article/505534-Analysis-shows-new-type-of-US-missile-hit-Iranian-sports-hall-and-school Fri, 03 Apr 2026 20:11:53 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505533-Will-Trump-go-kamikaze There is much talk about President Trump preparing to launch a ground attack against Iran. In the media discourse, much is made of the fact we have about 50,000 troops in the region. One might think those are all combat troops and we therefore have roughly three combat divisions available to invade Iran. But that is not true. Until recently, there were about 40,000 US troops in the region, which were mainly a mixture of Air Force, Army, and Navy forces. Very importantly, there were few Army or Marine combat troops, although there were certainly some special forces. But they are of little use for major combat operations, for which you need organized combat units like battalions, brigades, regiments, and divisions. In essence, until recently, there was hardly any organized ground power in the Middle East, which is what you need to invade and hold Iranian territory. As Napoleon was known to say: "God is on the side of the big battalions" https://www.sott.net/article/505533-Will-Trump-go-kamikaze Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:27:24 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505532-Iran-to-attack-logistical-hubs-in-Israel-and-gulf-targets-after-tallest-bridge-destroyed Earlier we reported there are signs that the US and Israel are expanding attacks on Iran civilian infrastructure, after reports emerged Thursday that fresh airstrikes hit a highway bridge connecting Tehran and Karaj, according to Fars News Agency. Several people were injured, and multiple areas of Karaj were also struck. The bridge was actually just constructed, having been inaugurated earlier this year. Fars identified it as the B1 bridge, dubbed the highest bridge in the Middle East. Tehran also continues to get pummeled hard, amid reports that the prior 24 hours saw the biggest wave of Iranian missiles and cluster munitions on Tel Aviv to date. In response to the bridge attack, Iran state media says the country's armed forces are preparing a retaliatory escalation, with plans to hit Israel's core logistical backbone. Tehran's strategy focuses on crippling three critical arteries that sustain Israel's war machine, per state media reports reference in Newsquawk. https://www.sott.net/article/505532-Iran-to-attack-logistical-hubs-in-Israel-and-gulf-targets-after-tallest-bridge-destroyed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:26:33 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505529-The-consequences-of-the-war-against-Iran For the first time, a people attacked by the most powerful military in history is retaliating against its adversary's military bases and foreign investments. This is a way of waging war, adapted to the age of globalization, that none of our strategists had foreseen. This conflict is unlike any other. It is the first in which a medium-sized country could prevail over a monstrous power. A "Zionist revisionist" war Benjamin Netanyahu is the son of historian Benzion Netanyahu, private secretary to Vladimir Ze'ev Jabotinsky, the founder of Revisionist Zionism. The Netanyahu dynasty has always supported Revisionist Zionism against the Zionists. The latter, led by Theodor Herzl, aimed to build a Jewish state, while Jabotinsky sought to create a Jewish empire. In 1921, in Ukraine, Jabotinsky allied himself with the "integral nationalist" leader Symon Petliura against the Bolsheviks. Petliura continued to organize pogroms against the Jews, whom Jabotinsky claimed to defend. This... https://www.sott.net/article/505529-The-consequences-of-the-war-against-Iran Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:25:10 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505525-Casualty-Cover-Up-The-Pentagon-Is-Hiding-US-Losses-Under-Trump-in-the-Middle-East Almost 750 U.S. troops have been wounded or killed in the Middle East since October 2023, an analysis by The Intercept has found. But the Pentagon won't acknowledge it. U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, appears to be engaged in what a defense official called a "casualty cover-up," offering The Intercept low-ball and outdated figures and failing to provide clarifications on military deaths and injuries. At least 15 U.S. troops were wounded Friday in an Iranian attack on a Saudi air base that hosts American troops, according to two government officials who spoke with The Intercept. Hundreds of U.S. personnel have been killed or injured in the region since the U.S. launched a war on Iran just over a month ago. President Donald Trump — who wore a blue suit, red tie, and a ball cap to the dignified transfer of the first Americans killed in the war — said casualties were inevitable. "When you have conflicts like this, you always have... https://www.sott.net/article/505525-Casualty-Cover-Up-The-Pentagon-Is-Hiding-US-Losses-Under-Trump-in-the-Middle-East Fri, 03 Apr 2026 19:20:07 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505520-The-Butchers-Doctrine-How-Netanyahu-Shed-the-Mask-of-Morality-and-Became-the-Wests-Most-Dangerous-Warlord The ideological manifesto of a man who realized the mask of morality is no longer needed because the leash has been removed. This was supposed to be a moment of justification. Addressing the press in Jerusalem on March 20, 2026, Benjamin Netanyahu — Israel's longest-serving prime minister, a man whose political survival had always depended on a delicate balancing act between Western morality and Middle Eastern brutality — decided to tell the world what he really thinks about ethics. By comparing Jesus Christ to Genghis Khan, Netanyahu did not misspeak. He delivered the eulogy over the last remnants of pretense that his regime is guided by any humanistic values whatsoever. His words were chilling in their simplicity: "History proves that, unfortunately and tragically, Jesus Christ has no advantage over Genghis Khan. Because if you are strong enough, ruthless enough, powerful enough, evil will triumph over good. Aggression will triumph over moderation." For decades, Netanyahu sold... https://www.sott.net/article/505520-The-Butchers-Doctrine-How-Netanyahu-Shed-the-Mask-of-Morality-and-Became-the-Wests-Most-Dangerous-Warlord Fri, 03 Apr 2026 05:33:34 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505519-Russian-public-opinion-shifts-solidly-to-support-of-Iran-against-US-and-Israel The Kremlin follows. Russian public opinion is swinging decisively in favour of Iran and hostility towards the US and Israel is growing, according to the latest nationwide opinion poll conducted by the Levada polling group of Moscow between March 18 and 26, 2026. Sympathy for Iran is expressed by 40% of the nationwide sample; this percentage is accelerating with time and with state television news broadcasts reporting Iran's fightback, its successful attacks on US bases in the Gulf states, and unprecedented strikes against Israeli targets. During the June War against Iran last year, by contrast, 29% of Russians supported Iran. This shift in public opinion has occurred among those who said they were uncertain or undecided last June. The longer the war continues, the stronger Russian public support for Iran is likely to become. A parallel swing of Russian support for the Palestinians of Gaza occurred following the Hamas breakout of October 7, 2023, as the Israeli destruction of Gaza... https://www.sott.net/article/505519-Russian-public-opinion-shifts-solidly-to-support-of-Iran-against-US-and-Israel Thu, 02 Apr 2026 21:09:19 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505518-Israel-making-sure-Trump-cant-find-an-off-ramp-in-Iran Netanyahu pitched the war as a repeat of Israel's apparent 'audacious feat' of smashing Hezbollah. The US president should have noted instead Israel's moral and strategic defeat in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must have persuaded Donald Trump that a war on Iran would unfold much like the pager attack in Lebanon 18 months ago. The two militaries would jointly decapitate the leadership in Tehran, and it would crumble just as Hezbollah had collapsed - or so it then seemed - after Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese group's spiritual leader and military strategist. If so, Trump bought deeply into this ruse. He assumed that he would be the US president to "remake the Middle East" - a mission his predecessors had baulked at since George W Bush's dismal failure to achieve the same goal, alongside Israel, more than 20 years earlier. Trump isn't the first US president tempted by an Israeli plan to destroy Iran and thereby "remake the Middle East". https://www.sott.net/article/505518-Israel-making-sure-Trump-cant-find-an-off-ramp-in-Iran Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:39:51 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505516-US-Israeli-aggression-on-Iran-What-happened-on-33rd-day-of-the-imposed-war Thirty-three days into the US-Israeli war on Iran - launched on February 28 with the assassination of the Leader of the Islamic Revolution, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei - the military aggression continues to target civilian and industrial infrastructure across the country. US-Israeli airstrikes on Wednesday hit a wide range of sites nationwide, including steel plants, pharmaceutical facilities, port infrastructure, and residential complexes, with explosions reported in Tehran, Ahvaz, Shiraz, Isfahan, Karaj, Kermanshah, and Bandar Abbas. The death toll from the unprovoked and illegal aggression has surpassed 2,000, while thousands of civilian sites - including hospitals, schools, universities, and pharmaceutical factories - continue to come under attack. The US-Israeli bombing of the Tofigh Daru pharmaceutical raw material units, which destroyed its research and development department, drew widespread condemnation. The Russian Embassy in Tehran reported damage to the Orthodox... https://www.sott.net/article/505516-US-Israeli-aggression-on-Iran-What-happened-on-33rd-day-of-the-imposed-war Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:21:29 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505515-Supreme-Court-sides-with-Christian-counselor-strikes-down-Colorado-conversion-therapy-ban In a landmark 8-1 decision issued today, the Supreme Court sided with a Christian mental health counselor - ruling that Colorado's law banning "conversion therapy" violates the First Amendment. The majority held that Colorado's 2019 law unconstitutionally discriminates on the basis of viewpoint by allowing counselors to affirm and support clients exploring gender transition or identity while prohibiting any talk-therapy efforts to help clients reduce unwanted same-sex attractions, change sexual behaviors, or align their gender identity with their biological sex. The solo dissent being (drumroll...) Ketanji Brown Jackson. https://www.sott.net/article/505515-Supreme-Court-sides-with-Christian-counselor-strikes-down-Colorado-conversion-therapy-ban Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:20:33 +0000 https://www.sott.net/article/505513-Bondi-out-Trump-finally-fires-incompetent-attorney-general-Todd-Blanche-appointed-acting-AG Update (1315ET): President Donald Trump has ousted Attorney General Pam Bondi, multiple outlets report. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche is serving as acting AG in the interim. The move comes amid White House frustration with Bondi's leadership at the Justice Department - particularly her handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and what Trump viewed as insufficient aggression in targeting his political opponents. Trump had privately discussed firing her and floated EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (or Blanche) as a possible replacement. Bondi met with Trump in the Oval Office Wednesday night ahead of his speech to the nation on the war in Iran, where she reportedly was informed of her ouster, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. One of those sources said that by the time Trump took his place behind the podium for the address, Bondi already lost her job and was on her way back to Florida. -Fox News https://www.sott.net/article/505513-Bondi-out-Trump-finally-fires-incompetent-attorney-general-Todd-Blanche-appointed-acting-AG Thu, 02 Apr 2026 20:11:13 +0000