Tag: Oil

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has announced the creation of a new naval force to challenge Houthi control of the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

▪️ The force is backed primarily by Saudi Arabia, with political support from the United States and other Western countries.

▪️ Its mission is to secure shipping lanes, combat weapons smuggling, and restore government authority along Yemen’s western coast and key islands.

▪️ The Houthis and Iran have condemned the move, warning of escalation and threatening maritime traffic if pressure on them increases.

▪️ For Israel, the development is strategically significant because it directly challenges the Houthi maritime threat to Red Sea shipping and the route to Eilat.

▪️ A stronger pro-government Yemeni presence could help weaken Iran’s regional influence, reduce Houthi smuggling operations, improve freedom of navigation, and lessen the need for direct Israeli military involvement in the area.

▪️ In short, Israel has a clear interest in seeing this force succeed, as it serves as a counterweight to both the Houthis and Iran while helping keep the Red Sea open and secure.

(Nziv. Net)

Nothing is ever easy in the Middle East. Rh

Deja Vu All Over Again

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

I am in the Oval Office at the White House where we just had a very good call with President Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud, of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, of The United Arab Emirates, Emir Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, and Minister Ali al-Thawadi, of Qatar, Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir Ahmed Shah, of Pakistan, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, of Türkiye, President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, of Egypt, King Abdullah II, of Jordan, and King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, of Bahrain, concerning the Islamic Republic of Iran, and all things related to a Memorandum of Understanding pertaining to PEACE. An Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization between the United States of America, the Islamic Republic of Iran, and the various other Countries, as listed. Separately, I had a call with Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu, of Israel, which, likewise, went very well. Final aspects and details of the Deal are currently being discussed, and will be announced shortly. In addition to many other elements of the Agreement, the Strait of Hormuz will be opened. Thank you for your attention to this matter!

President DONALD J. TRUMP

Mark Dubowitz, the chief executive of FDD, a conservative Washington, D.C.-based nonpartisan policy institute:

Epic Fury lasted 40 days.

The ceasefire has now lasted 60.

The U.S. and Israeli militaries won the war. But if the reported terms are accurate, the regime is now winning the ceasefire.

Another 60-day extension would only deepen Tehran’s advantage.

Ok so what we have is a preliminary agreement? An agreement largely been negotiated? Remember the Gaza peace deal of the century? Israel was within a couple of weeks of total victory, and Trump jumps in signs a ceasefire and demands Hamas give up their weapons. They never did. Ok now we start a war and are within a couple of weeks of finishing off Iran, we stop and start negotiating? We just left the dissidents in Iran up a creek without a paddle. Will this deal go the way of the Gaza ceasefire? Yep. I just don’t understand, please make me understand it. As long as Iran still have capabilities to make and deploy nuclear weapons, the won. They went toe to toe to Big Satan and won.

I feel the worst for Israel. They will have to deal with them in the near future. Mark my words, this isn’t over, in fact the fighting may have to begin again. When it does I hope Trump has learned his lesson and takes care of business. As of now back to status quo. Rh

Update:

Details of the signed MOU:

– Strait of Hormuz will fully reopen

– Iran will not charge transit fees

– US won’t pay any money to Iran

– Sanction relief on Iranian oil

– Lebanon is part of the ceasefire

– 60 days to negotiate nuclear issues

Per Amir Tsarfati

China Update 5/14

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Secretary of State, Marco Rubio with China updates today.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio tells NBC: China has confirmed that it does not support turning the Strait of Hormuz into a military tool, and that it opposes imposing fees on passage through the strait.

U.S. State Secretary Marco Rubio:

I think China’s preference is probably to have Taiwan willingly voluntarily join them.

In a perfect world, what they would want is some vote or a referendum in Taiwan that agrees to fold in. I think that’s what they would prefer.

Ultimately it’s featured prominently in President Xi’s mandate in the time he’s been in office. He’s made clear that what they call reunification, what they call it, is something that has to happen at some point.

We think it would be a terrible mistake to force that through force or anything of that nature.

President Trump:

President Xi would like to see a deal made. He said, “If I can be of any help at all, I would like to be of help.”

Anybody that buys that much oil obviously has some kind of relationship, and he’d like to see the Hormuz Strait open.

China has also agreed to buy 200 Boeing airplanes.

Netanyahu

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Netanyahu

By Jim Fletcher

Below is a powerful tribute to a roaring lion for the nation of Israel. Some love him, most hate or despise him. He and Trump, (IMO) are much alike. Raised for such a time as this, together they have proved a valiant and resolute pair of compatriots against the evils of the day in the Middle East, especially there firm conviction that Iran must be de-clawed. Never count either one out. Cheers and God’s best to them both. Rh

I well remember asking a new Israeli friend in 1996 how to pronounce the name of a rising politician, one running for prime minister of Israel against the old lion, Shimon Peres.

The new lion would do quite well for himself.

Benjamin Netanyahu, against all odds, beat Peres in 1996 and though he lost to the hapless Ehud Barak three years later, he re-emerged later to become Israel’s longest-serving PM. 

(When I say “hapless,” I mean that Barak was as a politician. As a commander within the IDF’s elite counter-terrorism unit, Barak was truly elite. Israel’s fighters-turned-politicians often do maddening things once in office. Netanyahu himself has bucked that trend and has served with distinction.)

Netanyahu was hated from the beginning, although he’s always had a strong base within the Likud Party (somewhat akin to our Republicans). Raised on a strong diet of Zionism from Benzion and Cela, he and his brothers have been devoted lions for the state of Israel. I remember in Bibi’s book, A Durable Peace, he described a training maneuver that took his unit through the Negev Desert, emerging at Masada one night. Sweating, breathing hard as he looked at the ancient fortress, Netanyahu felt a real link to his ancestors. This is the essence of Zionism and has served him well as he navigated evil leaders like Arafat, Clinton, and all UN chiefs. 

This week, I thought he got a nice tribute via X, as @liberallikudnik wrote:

“Begin grew old and weary and handed over all of Sinai to Egypt. Rabin grew old and weary and brought armed terrorists into the heart of the country. Sharon grew old and weary and turned Gaza into Judenrein and a terrorist state. Netanyahu in their age, a hero like a lion, full of vigor, building in Judea and Samaria, leading the IDF back to Gaza, to Lebanon and Syria, and eliminating the regime of evil in Iran. May he be healthy.”

True enough. Although I take exception to the partial description of Menachem Begin, a truly elite PM for Israel. As the winner of the premiership in 1977, leading Likud, Begin has arguably been Israel’s most religious prime minister. He was a great man. Yes, he tired at the end, but his mind and body were spent fighting as a Zionist. May his memory be a blessing.

I would say Yitzhak Rabin, as perhaps Israel’s least religious leader, made some fundamental diplomatic errors, yet. Sharon inexplicably emptied Gaza of Jews, but I suspect that had a lot to do with intense pressure from the George Bush gang. Among the weakest Israeli PMs—if you can call Naftali Bennett’s and Yair Lapid’s five minutes in office actual leaders—are those two, ideological foes that still came together in their hatred of Netanyahu.

New Israeli elections will emerge this fall and as usual, like clockwork, Netanyahu’s political obituary is being polished up as we speak. It can be added to the dozens more than have come before. It’s a bit like Oklahoma and Texas, or vice versa, not having a chance against the other in the Cotton Bowl. Then…the inevitable upset.

Benjamin Netanyahu has been criticized, heavily, by literally everyone. He has a polarizing personality, but I would argue not of his own making. I haven’t always liked his decisions, but everyone does that. I will go to my grave believing that he is much more the young man that sat around the family dinner table in the Old Katamon neighborhood in Jerusalem. As I’ve written before, I knew the old man the last decade he lived, and a couple times walked a few blocks over to gaze on the sublime scene of Jerusalem’s Old City in the moonlight. My wonderful conversations with Benzion make it clear to me all three Netanyahu boys will take Zion into their hearts for the duration. All three served in the same unit, Sayeret Matkal. 

At present, there is no one fit to tie Netanyahu’s shoelaces among their political echelon. 

Here’s to King Bibi!

The Signals Are All Pointing In The Same Direction: Victor Davis Hanson

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

𝗩𝗗𝗛: 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗚𝗡𝗔𝗟𝗦 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗢𝗜𝗡𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗗𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡.

Victor Davis Hanson has spent fifty years studying how wars end. When he says the tide is turning, it’s worth listening to why.

His argument isn’t based on what the Pentagon is saying. It’s based on how everyone else is behaving.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀. VDH’s rule: Europeans never agree to go anywhere near a conflict unless they think the winning side has already been determined. They didn’t help in the early days. Now they’re starting to move. That movement is not idealism. It’s a calculation. They’ve looked at the battlefield and decided which way this ends.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝘂𝗹𝗳 𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗿𝗼-𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. The Saudis, the Emiratis, the Qataris — these governments have survived for generations by reading the regional climate with precision. When they expel Iranian military attachés, when they intercept Iranian missiles over their own capitals and say nothing about American strikes, when the UAE reaffirms its $1.4 trillion investment commitment to the United States mid-war — they are not making ideological statements. They are placing bets. And they are betting on the United States.

𝗔𝗹 𝗝𝗮𝘇𝗲𝗲𝗿𝗮. This is the one that should stop you cold. Al Jazeera — the Qatari state media network, historically critical of American military action, the network Tucker Carlson and the anti-war right love to cite against Israel — is now calling the U.S. bombing campaign brilliant and effective, and saying it has been underestimated. When the media outlet of a nation that hosts both the largest American air base in the Middle East and a Hamas political office starts praising American military effectiveness, the message is unmistakable: 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘸𝘦’𝘳𝘦 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘸𝘪𝘯.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹. A-10 Warthogs and Apache helicopter gunships are now flying strike missions in Iranian airspace at will. VDH’s point: you only deploy those aircraft when there is effectively no air defense left to threaten them. They are slow, low-flying, close-support platforms. Their presence confirms what the Pentagon has been claiming — Iran has no meaningful air defense remaining.

Iran’s strategy now is rope-a-dope. Run out the clock. Wait for American public opinion to shift. Hope the midterms create political pressure on Trump to stop. It is the only play they have left.

VDH’s conclusion: if Trump sees it through — and he believes he will — the regime falls. Not in years. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘁𝘆 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻.

𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗼, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝘆. 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘀𝗸𝗶𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗮.

Great points! This guy is very intelligent, I think he is right over the target with his commentary. Rh

Updates and Analysis: MAGA – Iran- Hormuz

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

Below are a couple of posts of interest to me at least, hope you enjoy them. Both are accredited, and also a repost from Amir Tsarfati. Hormuz must be stabilized to keep the objectives of this military action on track. Extremely high gas prices are most likely the only thing that will derail final and completed objectives. The MIddle East is changing and so also the world pecking order. America is back in dominance, as it should be. God Bless America, and pray for the peace of Jerusalem. Living in truly “Prophetic Times”. Rh

Tucker Carlson’s Failure — Trump’s Knockout

Various interesting polls point to a clear trend:

A. There is no “split” within the MAGA camp — on the contrary, there is an almost Soviet-level consensus around Trump and his decision to strike Iran.

B. The war in Iran is not hurting Republicans ahead of the midterm elections — it is actually strengthening them.

Here are the data (to be detailed in follow-up posts):

1. NBC poll: One hundred percent support among MAGA supporters for Trump. Yes — 100%. This figure was also echoed by CNN.

In other words, two networks highly hostile to Trump present a president who has complete control over his base.

The share of people identifying with MAGA has also grown since the election.

2. Republican poll (New York Post): Who do you identify with — Trump or Carlson and Megyn Kelly?

The result is decisive: Trump 84%, Carlson and Kelly 6%.

It turns out that clicks and Spotify listens do not necessarily translate into real influence among the public.

Ironically, a phenomenon similar to traditional media in recent years is emerging: a loud and vocal minority holds the microphone and claims to speak for a silent majority that actually rejects it.

This frustration is causing Tucker and his circle to lose composure and drift away from the MAGA “mothership” toward the more fringe territories of the far left and pro-jihadist narratives.

The current investigation into Kent’s leaks to Carlson may become the official break between Carlson and the Republican Party.

3. YouGov–Economist poll on the November midterms (the most important issue in U.S. politics):

Since the start of the war, Republicans have narrowed the gap with Democrats in the race for control of the House — from a 7-point Democratic lead in mid-February to just 2 points in mid-March.

Earlier this month, I referenced a Harvard/Harris poll conducted before the war that showed a tie.

Democrats still lead in betting markets and most polls, but the trend is favorable for Republicans.

As noted recently, Republicans have only upside potential — historically, since World War II, only once has a second-term president managed to keep his party’s majority in the House (Clinton and the Democrats in 1998).

If Trump becomes the second, it would be a phenomenal achievement for him and the Republican Party.

4. Finally (not a poll): The major unknown is Vice President J.D. Vance, who is closely tied to Carlson and issued a very lukewarm statement regarding Kent’s resignation.

His public profile during the current war with Iran has been relatively low, and it is not at all certain that he supports the campaign.

Recently, he has lost some ground in the (so far quiet) race between him and Marco Rubio to become Trump’s successor for 2028.

It is far too early to write off Vance’s chances of becoming the Republican nominee in two and a half years, but his political trajectory will likely indicate the direction the Republican Party will take in the coming years.

(Gilad Zwick on X)

Vance is the big loser for now, I just don’t trust him. He came late to the MAGA party. First time he voted republican was for himself in the Ohio senate race. Seems to be a carpetbagger and far too close to the woke right and the Anti-Israel sentiment. Rh

American retaliation – strategic shift

Financial Times reports a major U.S. pivot:

• Air-defense systems and ammunition redirected from Europe to the Middle East

• Focus shifting fully toward confrontation with Iran

On the ground

• Deliveries to Europe – especially Patriot interceptors – expected to be delayed

• Systems already moved from Europe to protect U.S. forces and allies in the region

• U.S. deprioritizing Russia–Ukraine track – signaling full attention on Iran

Europe reacts

• Anger and concern – described as a “disaster”

• Accelerating independence from U.S. arms supply

• France taking its own path – deploying forces to the region

Middle East implications

• Stronger U.S. deterrence posture

• Shortages creating competition for air-defense systems

• Rising risk of escalation with Iran

• Gulf states reassessing alliances

Bottom line

• The Middle East is now Washington’s top priority

• Europe is sidelined

• The global balance is shifting

(Nziv .net)

Final thought, Europe may be the big loser, not supporting the US when they are far more dependent on oil than us. Typical, we save them and they turn their backs on us. Open borders and government overreach has defeated the once great British Empire, they should change their symbol from the lion to a kitty. France is just France, as long as they have their mistresses and their over priced wine, they are good. Rh

Strait of Hormuz

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

The balance of power in the Strait of Hormuz is shifting dramatically. Iran, which once believed it controlled this vital waterway with its fast boats, now faces a shocking reality.

The arrival of the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli at the head of a Marine Expeditionary Unit, including the 31st Reconnaissance Battalion, represents an unprecedented nightmare for the Iranian regime. This elite force of approximately 2,500 troops is moving at maximum speed toward the region, signaling Washington’s shift from airstrikes to a potential “boots on the ground” option.

Known as “Force 911,” these units are not ordinary reinforcements—they are self-contained, integrated forces combining ground combat elements with artillery, amphibious vehicles, fighter jets like F-35s, and attack helicopters, effectively turning the ship into a miniature aircraft carrier operating in the heart of the Strait.

Primary objective: regain control over the Strait of Hormuz from the Revolutionary Guard, which has disrupted global shipping. The number of transiting ships dropped to just 77 in early March, compared to over 1,000 in the previous year.

With this deployment, all military options are on the table: from rapid raids on islands used by the Guard as missile and drone launch points, to full control of strategic sites like Kharg Island, Iran’s economic lifeline and source of roughly 90% of its oil exports.

Missions may also include highly sensitive tasks, such as securing enriched uranium stocks to prevent any “dirty bomb” scenario, or collaborating with the CIA and Mossad to engage opposition groups and build an internal resistance movement to overthrow the regime.

This marks a new phase that goes beyond traditional deterrence, putting Tehran’s influence and the regime’s existence at stake. These special forces could fundamentally shift the balance of power internally and potentially end the regime’s dominance forever.

(The Middle East) copied from Amir Tsarfati

Update:

American retaliation – strategic shift

Financial Times reports a major U.S. pivot:

• Air-defense systems and ammunition redirected from Europe to the Middle East

• Focus shifting fully toward confrontation with Iran

On the ground

• Deliveries to Europe – especially Patriot interceptors – expected to be delayed

• Systems already moved from Europe to protect U.S. forces and allies in the region

• U.S. deprioritizing Russia–Ukraine track – signaling full attention on Iran

Europe reacts

• Anger and concern – described as a “disaster”

• Accelerating independence from U.S. arms supply

• France taking its own path – deploying forces to the region

Middle East implications

• Stronger U.S. deterrence posture

• Shortages creating competition for air-defense systems

• Rising risk of escalation with Iran

• Gulf states reassessing alliances

Bottom line

• The Middle East is now Washington’s top priority

• Europe is sidelined

• The global balance is shifting

(Nziv .net)

US MILITARY SUPERIORITY

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

BELOW are excerpts from two different scourges as to how the raid to capture Manduro happened. Again not officially confirmed but I do trust one of the sources. If true, it is an example of the technology that is out there for our military. We always see the tech for our armed forces is far ahead of civilian uses. If true it would expose the Russian and or possibly China defense systems that are inadequate. We know how easy Iran’s defense systems were rendered useless last summer during the 12 day war.

This account from a Venezuelan security guard loyal to Nicolás Maduro is absolutely chilling—and it explains a lot about why the tone across Latin America suddenly changed.

Security Guard: On the day of the operation, we didn’t hear anything coming. We were on guard, but suddenly all our radar systems shut down without any explanation. The next thing we saw were drones, a lot of drones, flying over our positions. We didn’t know how to react.

Interviewer: So what happened next? How was the main attack?

Security Guard: After those drones appeared, some helicopters arrived, but there were very few. I think barely eight helicopters. From those helicopters, soldiers came down, but a very small number. Maybe twenty men. But those men were technologically very advanced. They didn’t look like anything we’ve fought against before.

Interviewer: And then the battle began?

Security Guard: Yes, but it was a massacre. We were hundreds, but we had no chance. They were shooting with such precision and speed… it seemed like each soldier was firing 300 rounds per minute. We couldn’t do anything.

Interviewer: And your own weapons? Didn’t they help?

Security Guard: No help at all. Because it wasn’t just the weapons. At one point, they launched something—I don’t know how to describe it… it was like a very intense sound wave. Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside. We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.

Interviewer: And your comrades? Did they manage to resist?

Security Guard: No, not at all. Those twenty men, without a single casualty, killed hundreds of us. We had no way to compete with their technology, with their weapons. I swear, I’ve never seen anything like it. We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.

Interviewer: So do you think the rest of the region should think twice before confronting the Americans?

Security Guard: Without a doubt. I’m sending a warning to anyone who thinks they can fight the United States. They have no idea what they’re capable of. After what I saw, I never want to be on the other side of that again. They’re not to be messed with.

Interviewer: And now that Trump has said Mexico is on the list, do you think the situation will change in Latin America?

Security Guard: Definitely. Everyone is already talking about this. No one wants to go through what we went through. Now everyone thinks twice. What happened here is going to change a lot of things, not just in Venezuela but throughout the region. Source

Cause and Effect: A Terrifying New World

~ Randy Harris ~ Leave a comment

I am a big believer in “reap what you sow”, it is a law of God if you will. Not only did we get a feckless, inept leader in Washington after the stolen election in 2020, we also got a terrifying new world order. The balance of power in the world has been thrown into chaos. It used to be America with it’s moral and intestinal fortitude was the undisputed leader of the world, free or not. However now evil nations bent on destruction and dominance have emerged.

Just this week China has upped the ante in the Middle East. China just signed a deal with Iran to invest $400 Billion in the next 25 years. China and Iraq recently signed a deal for a $5 Billion deal on development of an oil power plant. $30 Billion to Qatar for natural gas projects. China buys huge amounts of oil from Saudi Arabia. China, Russia, and Iran have just teamed up doing military exercises together. What about Israel?

If what we hear is true Iran is only days away from being nuclear. Israel has vowed not to ever let Israel get nuclear weapons. The Middle East is and always has been a powder keg ready to explode, but with China becoming much more prolific in their dealings there, it may be only a matter of time.

Where is America? We are discussing pronouns and bowing down to the gender police. Cause and effect, a stolen election and a socialist agenda will destroy America and set the world on fire. Yes we are reaping what we have sown!

Epilogue – A weak church and weak Pastors have allowed evil to run amuck and begin the weakening process of a once great nation. God have mercy upon the United States of America. When the righteous reign the people rejoice, but when evil reigns the people groan. Rh