United States President Donald Trump is planning to launch an attack on Iran “on Monday or Tuesday,” former CIA agent and whistleblower John Kiriakou said, citing a White House source. Kiriakou claimed that “a decision has been made” in the White House to attack Iran early next week, after Trump had given the Middle Eastern country ten days to accept US terms. “He’s done this before. He’ll give you ten days, he’ll give you two weeks, and then he’ll just attack two days into that,” he noticed. Furthermore, Kiriakou’s source reportedly claimed that Vice President JD Vance and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard oppose the war, while State Secretary Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth support it.
Arab countries slam US envoy’s M. East comments
Thttps://youtu.be/6XKy4OmWKbUhe Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), and several Arab countries individually condemned on Saturday United States Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee’s remarks that Israel has a biblical right to the Middle East. The countries that slammed Huckabee’s comments include Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, which labeled it a violation of international law. In an interview with Tucker Carlson, Huckabee spoke about Israel’s right to the Middle East, adding that “it would be fine if they took it all.”
NN: I known Huck from my Arkansas days A good honest man. And i agree 1000%. But unfortunately i am afraid he has shot himself in the dick.
Likeliest Iran Outcome
Morningstar thinks, a limited U.S. strike on Iranian military or nuclear targets is the likeliest outcome. That’s what according to the company’s equity director Joshua Aguilar, who outlined in a note sent late Thursday that this scenario “would mean no impact on global physical flows, so the global surplus would remain intact”. “Any price action would be due to the geopolitical premium,” he added. In the note, Aguilar highlighted that Morningstar thinks a limited strike event is a base case for several reasons. “First, we’d flag U.S. domestic political incentives,” he said. “U.S. midterm elections take place later this year, and Trump has made keeping inflation down a cornerstone of his platform, which includes prices at the pump,” he added. “Second, we think the U.S. hand is stronger following the capture of Maduro, both from the standpoint of a successful military operation, and because Venezuelan output … gives the U.S. somewhat of a physical, heavy-sour crude buffer that can substitute for Iranian crude exports in the event of a limited strike with some supply disruption,” he continued. “Third, any severe strike would potentially strengthen OPEC+’s hand,” he went on to state. While Aguilar said in the note that a severe strike seems possible, he added that it is much less likely. Aguilar also noted that Morningstar thinks the odds of a Strait of Hormuz closure are remote. He conceded, however, that this “would be the most severe case for global oil prices”. In the note, Aguilar pointed out that global oil benchmarks “have risen significantly since the start of the year”. “Brent futures now trade at nearly $72 per barrel, rising nearly 20 percent since early January,” he said. “This contradicts nearly universal bearish prognostications for crude prices earlier in the year related to supply glut fears,” he added. Aguilar revealed in the note that Morningstar is maintaining its midcycle estimate of $65 per barrel Brent.
P. Morgan report by Natasha Kaneva, the company’s head of global commodities strategy, analysts at J.P. Morgan, including Kaneva, said they “continue to assign a low geopolitical risk premium to the Middle East”. “With affordability and broader economic conditions central to U.S. electoral dynamics, the president must ultimately weigh the economic costs of any strike on Iran ahead of the November mid-term elections,” the analysts said. “Our baseline scenario assumes some form of agreement with Iran and a ceasefire in Ukraine this year. While the probability of military action against Iran has increased, we expect any such action to be surgical and designed to avoid Iran’s oil production and export infrastructure,” they added. “Given the region’s proximity to major energy chokepoints, geopolitically driven crude price rallies may persist, but these should eventually fade as global fundamentals remain relatively soft,” they continued.
In the report, the J.P. Morgan analysts said their balances “continue to project sizable surpluses later this year, suggesting that production cuts of two million barrels per day will be needed to prevent excessive inventory accumulation in 2027, which would help stabilize prices at around $60 per barrel Brent”.
FP Markets Aaron Hill Chief Market Analyst noted that WTI oil prices “continued to clear out offers, refreshing year to date highs of $67.01 in recent trading”. “The bid came on the heels of U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning to Irann right nowi that it has 10 to 15 days to reach a nuclear deal, or ‘really bad things’ will happen. The U.S. is assembling two aircraft carriers, fighter jets, and refueling tankers in the region,” he added.
NN: Its a massive military build up. It hard for me to believe its simply posturing for negotiations. Trump needs a big win right now, A bringing down Khomeini is just what the polling doctor ordered.
US Amasses Biggest Force Since 2003 as Trump Pushes Iran on Deal
The US military is stationing a vast array of forces in the Middle East, including two aircraft carriers, fighter jets and refueling tankers, with President Donald Trump saying that Iran had 10 to 15 days at most to strike a deal over its nuclear program.“We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” Trump told reporters Thursday aboard Air Force One. On a deadline, Trump said he thought 10 to 15 days was “pretty much” the “maximum” he would allow for negotiations to continue. “I would think that would be enough time,” he said. The deployment is unlike anything the US has done since 2003, when it amassed forces before the invasion of Iraq. It dwarfs the military buildup that Trump ordered off the coast of Venezuela in the weeks before he ousted President Nicolas Maduro. While the US isn’t likely to deploy ground troops, the buildup suggests Trump is giving himself discretion to launch a sustained campaign lasting many days, in cooperation with Israel. While discussions have focused on a sustained campaign far more sweeping than the overnight strikes the US launched against Iran’s nuclear program last June, the president is also weighing a limited early strike designed to drive Tehran to the negotiating table, “Maybe we’re going to make a deal,” Trump said in a speech on Thursday morning. “You’re going to be finding out over the next probably 10 days.” Heightened geopolitical worries over US-Iran tensions sent stocks lower and extended a surge in oil, with Brent crude, the global benchmark, rising above $71 a barrel on Thursday. The open question is whether Iran can possibly satisfy Trump’s demands and whether, by positioning so much military hardware to the region, Trump may feel compelled to use it rather than backing down. Tracking site FlightRadar24’s data shows a surge of flight activity by US military transport, aerial tankers, surveillance aircraft and drones to bases in Qatar, Jordan, Crete and Spain. The aircraft, whose transponders make them visible over land to the tracking site, include KC-46 and KC-135 air-to-air refuelers and C-130J cargo planes used to move troops and heavy equipment. It also includes E-3 Sentry jets equipped with airborne warning and control system radar, which provide “all-altitude and all-weather surveillance” of potential battle zones, as well as RQ-4 Global Hawk surveillance drones. The weapons at Trump’s disposal are formidable. The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is accompanied by three Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers, which can carry Tomahawk missiles. The carrier’s air wing includes F-35C fighter jets. The USS Gerald R. Ford, the most expensive US warship ever built, at $13 billion, is accompanied by guided missile destroyers, and its associated air wing includes F/A-18E and F/A-18F Super Hornets, E-2D airborne early warning aircraft, as well as MH-60S and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters and C-2A Greyhounds. The two carriers provide “more options, and would enable us to conduct operations on a more sustained basis — if it comes to that,” said Michael Eisenstadt, director of military studies for the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He said the buildup “signals to the Iranians the need to be more flexible in negotiations.” Trump met with his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, and special envoy, Steve Witkoff, on Wednesday for an update on the negotiations with Iran. Officials met in the Situation Room on Wednesday to discuss possible action and were told to expect that all US military forces deployed to the region would be in place by mid-March, according to a US official. A major strike against Iran — where leaders are anxious about regime stability following widespread unrest — risks entangling the US in its third war of choice in the Middle East since 1991, against a more formidable adversary than the US has faced in decades. Trump’s use of the military in his second term has been characterized by short and successful engagements with minimal harm to American troops, including the bombing of Iranian nuclear targets in June, attacking alleged drug-trafficking boats and the raid that extracted Maduro in early January. But if fresh strikes on Iran prompt a wider conflagration, the president could face considerable public pressure. Trump spoke against US engagement in foreign wars on the campaign trail, but has gone on to bomb Iran, Tehran-backed Houthi militants in Yemen and militants in Syria. “With Iran’s air defenses largely neutralized by previous US and Israeli strikes, the US strike fighters would operate largely with impunity over Iranian airspace,” said Bryan Clark, a defense analyst for the Hudson Institute and a former Navy strategy officer. “There is always the risk of downed pilots, but I think the bigger risk is to ships. The same cruise and ballistic missiles the Iranians gave to the Houthis could be turned against US ships in the Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea and Red Sea.” Thousands of US servicemembers in the region are also within range of Iranian ballistic missiles, and regime officials have vowed to respond with full force to a US strike. Beyond attacks on US military assets, Iran could try to close the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway between Oman and Iran traversed by 25% of maritime oil traffic. The US strikes in June 2025 focused on three sites associated with Iran’s nuclear program, but a more ambitious effort to topple the regime in Tehran could involve attacks on sites associated with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and potentially senior leadership including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. But Iran might be able to withstand such decapitation attempts. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Wednesday that Iran was expected to offer a response to the negotiations within “the next couple of weeks,” but did not preclude the possibility of military action before that. “The president will continue to watch how this plays out,” she said.
NN: This waiting is panful!
Trump said to consider limited Iran strike ‘within days’
US President Donald Trump is considering a limited military strike on Iran “within days” as a way to pressure Tehran into agreeing to his demands for a nuclear deal, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. According to the sources, the action would target select military or government sites. If Iran refuses to halt nuclear enrichment, the US could then escalate to a broader campaign against regime facilities, potentially aiming to topple the government, the outlet added. Trump previously indicated he would decide on next steps within 10 days, emphasizing that the US would secure a deal with Iran “one way or the other.” He later informed reporters that his timeline might last no more than two weeks.
NN: tick tock
Trump: Will find out about Iran in next 10 days
US President Donald Trump pointed out on Thursday that the US will “find out in about 10 days” regarding progress on negotiations with Iran, signaling a critical window for ongoing diplomatic talks. “We had good talks with Iran. We have to make a meaningful deal, otherwise, bad things will happen,” he said while introducing the participants of his inaugural board of peace meeting. “We do have some work to do with Iran. They cannot have a nuclear weapon. You cannot have peace in the Middle East if they have a nuclear weapon. They’ve been told that very strongly,” he restated. Yesterday, the White House warned that Iran would be “very wise” to make a deal with the US, amid reports that Washington was weighing fresh military action against the Islamic Republic.
NN: I am waiting.
Brent Oil Price Tops $71
- Brent surged above $71.50 and WTI jumped past $66 as traders priced in the risk of U.S. military action against Iran.
- Concerns center on potential disruption to Iranian supply and broader Persian Gulf flows, particularly through the Strait of Hormuz.
- A tightening Brent futures curve and reluctance to buy sanctioned barrels suggest the physical market is firmer than expected. Following a 4% surge on Wednesday, oil prices advanced by another 1.6% in European trade early on Thursday to send Brent to above $71.50, the highest level in six months, as concerns about a U.S. military campaign in Iran intensified. The international benchmark, Brent Crude, was up by 1.71% at $71.55 in morning trade in Europe, as the U.S.-Iran talks appear to make no headway, while the U.S. is amassing military forces near the Persian Gulf. The U.S. benchmark oil prices, WTI Crude, also jumped to trade at $66.37 per barrel, up by 1.83% on the day, following the 4% surge at Wednesday’s settlement.
The U.S. Administration has warned Iran that it would be “very wise” to make a deal as diplomatic efforts and talks continue.
On Wednesday, Axios reported that the U.S. is moving closer to a war with Iran. A campaign in Iran would be nothing like the Venezuela blitz and could involve “a massive, weeks-long campaign,” Axios reported, citing sources. U.S. President Donald Trump has not yet made a final decision about a possible military intervention, sources with knowledge of the discussions among top U.S. national security officials told CBS News. But the President has discussed options, including a strike that could be ordered as soon as this coming Saturday, according to the sources. “For oil markets, the concern is clearly what action would mean not only for Iranian oil supply, but also broader Persian Gulf oil flows, given the risk of disruption to shipments through the Strait of Hormuz,” ING strategists Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey wrote in a Thursday note. Adding to the difficult U.S.-Iran talks, the Russia-Ukraine talks in Geneva also broke down without any breakthrough and pushed oil prices higher. Moreover, the shape of the ICE Brent futures curve suggests that the oil market is “tighter than what many analysts have been expecting, including us,” ING’s strategists said, noting that many buyers aren’t touching large volumes of sanctioned barrels, which is tightening supply.
NN: $100.00 anyone
US seen building largest Mideast air power since 2003
The United States positioned its largest concentration of air power in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing US and foreign officials. United States President Donald Trump has not yet decided whether to order strikes on Iran, though the buildup reportedly gives Washington the ability to conduct a prolonged campaign rather than a single strike. It includes F-35 and F-22 fighters, command-and-control aircraft and two aircraft carriers. The news comes after the US and Iranian negotiators met in Geneva on Tuesday for talks mediated by Oman.
NN: In the sense of fire power this is the largest build up of pure fire power in the Middle East ever
And it ain’t for show. Trump is going in and taking over the Middle East.
If he doesn’t Turkey wil
Satellite images show Iran repairing and fortifying sites amid US tensions
Satellite images show that Iran has recently built a concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military site and covered it in soil, experts say, advancing work at a location reportedly bombed by Israel in 2024 amid tensions with the U.S. Images also show that Iran has buried tunnel entrances at a nuclear site bombed by the U.S. during Israel’s 12-day war with Iran last year, fortified tunnel entrances near another, and has repaired missile bases struck in the conflict. They offer a glimpse of Iranian activities at some of the sites at the centre of tensions with Israel and the U.S., as Washington seeks to negotiate a deal with Tehran on its nuclear programme while threatening military action if talks fail.
Here are some images showing the changes:
PARCHIN MILITARY COMPLEX
A combination picture of satellite images show the Parchin military complex before the Israeli strikes of October, 2024, in this image dated October 20, 2024, (top row 1st), the Parchin military complex after the Israeli strikes of October, 2024, in this image dated October 27, 2024, (top row 2nd), the beginning of the site’s…Some 30 km (20 miles) southeast of Tehran, the Parchin complex is one of Iran’s most sensitive military sites. Western intelligence has suggested Tehran carried out tests relevant to nuclear bomb detonations there more than two decades ago. Iran has always denied seeking atomic weapons. Israel reportedly struck Parchin in October 2024. Satellite imagery taken before and after that attack shows extensive damage to a rectangular building at Parchin, and apparent reconstruction in images from November 6, 2024. Imagery from October 12, 2025 shows development at the site, with the skeleton of a new structure visible and two smaller structures adjacent to it. Progress is apparent in imagery from November 14, with what appears to be a metallic roof covering the large structure. But imagery from December 13 shows the facility partly covered. By February 16, it cannot be seen at all, hidden by what experts say is a concrete structure.
The Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS), in a January 22 analysis of satellite imagery, pointed to progress in the construction of a “concrete sarcophagus” around a newly built facility at the site, which it identified as Taleghan 2. ISIS reported in November that imagery showed “ongoing construction and the presence of what appears to resemble a long, cylindrical chamber, maybe a high-explosives containment vessel, likely measuring approximately 36 meters long and 12 meters in diameter placed inside a building”. “High-explosive containment vessels are critical to the development of nuclear weapons,” ISIS added, “but can also be used in many other conventional weapons development processes.”
William Goodhind, a forensic imagery analyst with Contested Ground, said the roof had a similar hue to the surrounding area, adding: “It has most likely been covered with dirt to obscure the concrete colour.”
ISIS founder David Albright wrote on X: “Stalling the negotiations has its benefits: Over the last two to three weeks, Iran has been busy burying the new Taleghan 2 facility … More soil is available and the facility may soon become a fully unrecognizable bunker, providing significant protection from aerial strikes.”
TUNNEL ENTRANCES BURIED AT ISFAHAN NUCLEAR COMPLEX
A satellite image shows tunnel entrances covered with soil at Isfahan nuclear complex, in Isfahan, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
The Isfahan complex is one of three Iranian uranium-enrichment plants bombed by the United States in June.
In addition to facilities that are part of the nuclear fuel cycle, Isfahan includes an underground area where diplomats say much of Iran’s enriched uranium has been stored. Satellite images taken in late January showed new efforts to bury two tunnel entrances at the complex, ISIS reported on January 29. In a February 9 update, ISIS said a third entrance had also been backfilled with soil, meaning all entrances to the tunnel complex were now “completely buried”. A February 10 image shows all three tunnels buried, Goodhind said. ISIS reported on February 9 that “backfilling the tunnel entrances would help dampen any potential airstrike and also make ground access in a special forces raid to seize or destroy any highly enriched uranium that may be housed inside difficult”.
TUNNEL ENTRANCES FORTIFIED AT COMPLEX NEAR NATANZ SITE
A satellite image shows ongoing efforts to harden and strengthen a facility’s two tunnel entrances at a complex near Nantanz, Iran, February 10, 2026. Vantor/Handout via REUTERS
ISIS has reported that satellite images point to ongoing efforts since February 10 to “harden and defensively strengthen” two entrances to a tunnel complex under a mountain some 2 km (1.2 miles) from Natanz – the site that holds Iran’s other two uranium enrichment plants.
Imagery shows “ongoing activity throughout the complex related to this effort, involving the movement of numerous vehicles, including dump trucks, cement mixers, and other heavy equipment”, ISIS wrote. Iran’s plans for the facility, called Pickaxe Mountain, are unclear, ISIS said.
SHIRAZ SOUTH MISSILE BASE
A combination picture of satellite images shows Shiraz South Missile Base in Shiraz South, Iran, before reconstruction, July 3, 2025 (left), and after reconstruction and clearance efforts, January 30, 2026 (right). Planet Labs PBC/Handout
About 10 km (6 miles) south of Shiraz in southern Iran, this is one of 25 primary bases capable of launching medium-range ballistic missiles, according to Alma Research and Education Center, an Israeli organisation. Alma assessed the site had suffered light, above-ground damage in last year’s war. A comparison of images taken on July 3, 2025 and January 30 shows reconstruction and clearance efforts at the main logistics and likely command compound at the base, Goodhind said. “The key takeaway is that the compound has yet to return to its full operational capacity from prior to the airstrikes.”
QOM MISSILE BASE
A combination picture of satellite images shows a Qom missile base building with the roof damaged by an airstrike, in Qom, Iran, July 16, 2025 (top), and the same site with a new roof, February 1, 2026 (bottom). Planet Labs
Some 40 km north of the city of Qom, this base suffered moderate above-ground damage, according to Alma.
A comparison of images taken between July 16, 2025, and February 1 shows a new roof over a damaged building. The roof repairs appear to have begun on November 17 and were most likely complete 10 days later, Goodhind said.
OIL rallies amid Iran worries
The prices of oil futures continued to rise on Wednesday as supply worries intensified due to a potential United States-Iran clash. While the two countries sat down for discussions earlier this week and mentioned some progress has been made, there have been no significant changes in the attitudes, with Axios reporting that Washington could hit Tehran within weeks. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for March deliveries surged 2.7% at 7:49 am ET, going for $64 per barrel. At the same time, Brent for April settlements soared 2.63%, selling at $69.19 a barrel.