Middle East Watch

Polls Show MAGA, GOP Overwhelmingly Back Trump’s Iran Op ‘Epic Fury’– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Polling throughout the nearly three-week U.S.-Israeli military operation against Iran has consistently shown near-unanimous backing for President Donald Trump’s decision to launch Operation Epic Fury among the MAGA base and overwhelming support among Republicans, while a new Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday finds that a majority of likely voters overall say the operation has been succeeding.

The Rasmussen poll found that 61 percent of likely voters say the military operation against Iran has been successful so far, including 35 percent who describe it as “very successful.”

The survey also underscored the level of public engagement with the conflict, with 81 percent of voters saying they have been closely following developments, including 49 percent who said they have followed them “very closely” — a group among whom support rises to 66 percent.

Support is markedly stronger among Republicans and Trump voters.

Eighty-one percent of Republicans say the operation has been successful, along with 56 percent of unaffiliated voters and 45 percent of Democrats.

Soaring Russia and Iran threat as UK minister issues chilling ‘danger’ warning– www.mirror.co.uk

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

British Defence Minister Al Carns has warned “we live in very dangerous times” with soaring threats from Russia and the Middle East stretching from the “high north” to Iran. The alarm follows more than two weeks of the US-Israeli war on Iran, during which British troops have fought off drone and missile threats from Iran and its proxies.

Senior western officials have confirmed European militaries are increasingly concerned about the Strait and demands by America for countries such as the UK to become involved. A UK refusal to send ships to help unblock the Strait of Hormuz has caused huge tension from US President Donald Trump towards UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Iranian President Pezeshkian Wants to Resign– gellerreport.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Even after one of history’s greatest military triumphs that took out some of the world’s most dangerous architects of terror, the Democrat media machine continues to whing and whine and decry the elimination of murderous madmen and the world state sponsor of terror. It sneers, nitpicks, and all but mourns the fall of a regime that has spread bloodshed for decades. The eradication of Iran’s mullahcracy would be a seismic win for human freedom and global security, relief for millions living under its boot. And still, the party of grievance and its media echo chamber can’t stand it.

Report: Iranian President Pezeshkian Wants to Resign

But there’s no one to whom he can submit that resignation. Perhaps he doesn’t want to go “meet” all his erstwhile terrorist colleagues. Israel Channel 14 is reporting that Iran’s President Pezeshkian wants to resign: @DBalazada reports that President Pezeshkian intended to submit his resignation to the Supreme Leader today following the elimination of Ali Larijani. However, he was informed by the IRGC that a meeting with Mojtaba Khamenei is currently not possible (David).

Pezeshkian was elected president in 2024.

The obvious question: Is there really a new Ayatollah with all his faculties to whom he could resign? More from Channel 14: Pezeshkian is reportedly “exceptionally angry” at the Revolutionary Guards, accusing them of “reckless” conduct. He claims the failure to protect Ali Larijani was not negligence, but a deliberate move to ensure his elimination. The IRGC is reportedly “very pleased” with Larijani’s death, having already prepared an “elimination dossier” on him and his brother. The bottom line – Iran is transitioning into an extremist military regime where Mojtaba Khamenei acts as a mere “puppet” of the Revolutionary Guards, who completely control the country (Channel 14).

Air Force Uses Massive Penetrator Bombs to Smash Iran’s Anti-Ship Missiles Guarding the Strait of Hormuz – RedState– redstate.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

U.S. Central Command announced Wednesday that it had carried out a series of strikes on fortified Iranian positions designed to control maritime traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.

Hours ago, U.S. forces successfully employed multiple 5,000-pound deep penetrator munitions on hardened Iranian missile sites along Iran’s coastline near the Strait of Hormuz. The Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles in these sites posed a risk to international shipping in the strait.

To fully understand what this means, let’s take a look at the battlespace.

Iran threatens attacks on Gulf oil infrastructure as Israel says it’s killed another regime official– www.cbc.ca

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Iran’s state television published a threat on Wednesday saying the Islamic Republic would be attacking oil and gas infrastructure in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates amid a new wave of strikes on its Persian Gulf neighbours and Israel.

Iran used some of its latest missiles to evade air defences and kill two people near Tel Aviv, as the war in the Middle East showed no signs of slowing.

The threat to oil and gas infrastructure resembled other attack warnings put out by Iran during the war, copying the style used by the Israeli military. Iran specifically threatened Saudi Arabia’s Samref Refinery and its Jubail Petrochemical Complex. It also threatened the U.A.E.’s Al Hasan Gas Field and the petrochemical plants and a refinery in Qatar.

Trump hasn’t made up his mind on sending Americans into Iran to seize nuclear material, sources say– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

President Trump hasn’t made up his mind yet on whether he wants to send American forces into Iran and seize the country’s nuclear material, which would be a very dangerous operation, sources familiar with the matter told CBS News.

In private conversations, he has told people close to him: “I have a lot of decisions to make.”

The Pentagon has prepared multiple options for the president as potential next steps in the Iran war.

After the U.S. military strikes on three nuclear sites last summer, the International Atomic Energy Agency, a nuclear watchdog, said it could not account for an estimated 400 kilograms of highly enriched uranium Iran had before the strikes.

Mr. Trump believes Iran’s military assets are dramatically degraded — with their navy and air force essentially gone — but he is concerned about Iran’s capability to plant mines, two of the sources told CBS News. He thinks Iranians can gum up oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz because the mine-laying operations take only three or so people.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump said it was unclear if Iran had begun laying mines or not. He told reporters, “We don’t even know if there are any mines there, but if there are, you know, we’d like to have a little help in finding them.”

Iran’s Kharg Island Defenses Blasted– sofrep.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

“So far, U.S. strikes have been more robust than even the ‘shock-and-awe,’ bombing campaign of the First and Second Gulf Wars…Trump and the U.S. military are looking for an elusive, knockout punch…Iran’s Kharg Island…part of a potential, U.S. plan for dominance…Taking the island ‘would cut off Iran’s oil lifeline,’ which the regime badly needs…SEAL Team Six and a force of Marines could definitely take the island…(but) even a successful mission against the island would prolong the war.” — Brent M. Eastwood, PhD., for 19FortyFive, March 12, 2026.

On Friday, March 13, 2026, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out a major, precision-bombing raid against Iran’s strategic, Kharg Island, a coral outcropping in the Persian Gulf, 19 miles offshore from Ramleh, Iran. The island is only five miles long by 2.7 miles wide, with a total area of just 7.7 square miles, and a population of about 8,400 people. It provides an absolutely vital seaport for the export of 90 percent of Iran’s oil products, including crude oil, fertilizers, liquid gas, and other products, passing through the terminal on Kharg Island, which is able to load 10 supertankers at once, in addition to storage capacity for up to 30 million barrels of oil.

Trump Makes Bold Maneuver To Boost Flow Of Oil To US– trendingpoliticsnews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump is temporarily suspending a key U.S. shipping rule as the Iran conflict tightens its grip on global energy markets.

The White House confirmed Wednesday that Trump issued a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act, the century-old law requiring goods shipped between U.S. ports to travel on American-built, American-owned vessels crewed mostly by U.S. citizens.

The move is aimed at easing pressure as oil prices surge and supply routes get squeezed.

“President Trump’s decision to issue a 60-day Jones Act waiver is just another step to mitigate the short-term disruptions to the oil market as the U.S. military continues meeting the objectives of Operation Epic Fury,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement on X. “This action will allow vital resources like oil, natural gas, fertilizer, and coal to flow freely to U.S. ports for sixty days, and the Administration remains committed to continuing to strengthen our critical supply chains.”

‘Not a one-person regime’: Why Iran’s Islamic Republic is so hard to topple– www.france24.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Since February 28, Israel and the United States have pounded Iran with targeted air strikes, taking out one powerful Iranian official after another.

The death toll among top regime officials has so far been confirmed at nine, but Israel claims it has reached 11.

Both the United States and Israel have brandished the growing list of dead Iranian elites as evidence of their military success.

On Tuesday, after the Israeli army announced it had “eliminated” Iran’s security chief, Ali Larijani, Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar declared that his country had “already won” the war against the Islamic Republic.

Oil prices surge after Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gasfield | US-Israel war on Iran News– www.aljazeera.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

There are fears that a period of elevated oil and gas prices could trigger a damaging wave of global inflation.

Oil prices have risen more than 5 percent following an Israeli strike on Iran’s South Pars gasfield as the United States-Israeli war on the country continues to escalate.

Brent crude, the international standard, rose 5 percent to $108.66 a barrel on Wednesday, while US West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1, the price barometer for US oil, gained 2.5 percent to $98.65, widening its discount to Brent to the largest since May 2019 on fears of a prolonged conflict.

Dan Bongino Shreds Joe Kent– townhall.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Former Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino tore into former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent on Tuesday, blasting his baseless resignation letter after Kent claimed Iran posed no immediate threat to the United States and accused Israel of influencing President Trump to launch Operation Epic Fury.

Bongino argued there was ample evidence to justify the operation and questioned how Kent could have reached such a different conclusion.

Pakistan announces ‘temporary pause’ in strikes against Afghanistan at request of several countries– abcnews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

ISLAMABAD — Pakistan announced on Wednesday a pause in strikes against Afghanistan, saying the decision was made ahead of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Fitr at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Turkey.

In a statement, Pakistan’s Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the pause in strikes on “terrorists and their support infrastructure in Afghanistan” in neighboring Afghanistan will take effect at midnight Wednesday and remain in place until midnight Monday.

He said: “Pakistan offers this gesture in good faith and in keeping with the Islamic norms”.

China, Pakistan Developing Nuclear Missiles That Put US Within Range Intel Chief Tulsi Gabbard– www.ndtv.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

US Intelligence Chief Tulsi Gabbard, presenting the intelligence community’s 2026 Annual Threat Assessment, said that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran and Pakistan are the most significant nuclear threats to the United States.

While testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Wednesday, Gabbard said, “The intelligence community assesses that Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Pakistan have been researching and developing an array of novel, advanced, or traditional missile delivery systems, with nuclear and conventional payloads, that put our homeland within range.”

Gabbard said that China and Russia are developing advanced delivery systems that are capable of penetrating or bypassing US missile defences.

“North Korea’s ICBMs can already reach US soil, and it is committed to expanding its nuclear arsenal,” she added.

Iranian intel head who targeted Trump killed in strike | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

“This man had American blood on his hands. His network specifically targeted current and former U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump.”

The Israeli Defense Forces announced on Wednesday that Iran’s Minister of Intelligence, Esmaeil Khatib, has been killed in a targeted strike that took place in Tehran. This comes amid the US-Israeli Operation Epic Fury in the Middle Eastern country.

A senior Israeli official told Fox News that Khatib had previously survived an attack that resulted in the deaths of dozens of Iranian leaders. The official said, “This man had American blood on his hands. His network specifically targeted current and former U.S. officials, including President Donald Trump.”

Mitch McConnell: Joe Kent’s Resignation Letter Contained ‘Virulent Anti-Semitism’– slaynews.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

A sharp clash has erupted after a senior counterterrorism official stepped down and issued a resignation letter criticizing U.S. involvement in Iran, prompting a forceful rebuke from Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).

McConnell Condemns Kent’s Resignation Letter

Mitch McConnell blasted the resignation of Joe Kent, arguing the contents of Kent’s letter crossed a serious line.

In a post on X, McConnell declared:

“Joe Kent testified before the Senate one year ago that Iran and its terror proxies threatened U.S. servicemembers in the Middle East.

“He said it would be an honor to return to the fight against terrorism, and he pledged to lead with integrity and accountability.

Israel kills Iran’s spy chief; government seen as ‘largely degraded’– www.latimes.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

WASHINGTON — The Iranian government remains “intact but largely degraded,” National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard told Congress on Wednesday, as Israel continued to hunt down the Islamic Republic’s leadership with an overnight airstrike that killed the nation’s spy chief.

The death of Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, announced Wednesday by Israel, was the third high-level assassination in roughly 24 hours in a series of strikes that have hollowed out Tehran’s leadership ranks.

Israel ordered strikes Tuesday that killed Iranian security chief Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary commander Gholamreza Soleimani.

Additional senior Iranian figures could be targeted, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Wednesday. “Israel’s policy is clear and unequivocal: No one in Iran has immunity — everyone is a target,” Katz said.

Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s new supreme leader, issued a rare statement Wednesday addressing Larijani’s assassination.

“Undoubtedly, the assassination of such a person shows the extent of his importance and the hatred of the enemies of Islam towards him,” he wrote, according to the Associated Press. “All blood has its price that the criminal murderers of the martyrs must pay soon.”

Dow tumbles more than 750 points to new closing low for 2026, fueled by inflation woes; Fed holds steady on rates – CNBC– news.google.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 1

Blurb:

  1. Dow tumbles more than 750 points to new closing low for 2026, fueled by inflation woes; Fed holds steady on rates  CNBC
  2. Stock market today: Dow, S&P 500, Nasdaq slide as Federal Reserve holds rates steady  Yahoo Finance
  3. Fed Meeting Today: Stocks Fall After Powell Voices Inflation Worries — Live Updates  WSJ
  4. Dow slides nearly 800 points after Fed meeting amid oil inflation  USA Today
  5. U.S. stocks sink on worries about inflation as gold falls below $5,000 per ounce  PBS

Trump Claims US ‘Knew Nothing’ About Israeli Strike On Qatari Gas Field– dailycaller.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump claimed Wednesday night that the U.S. was completely unaware of Israeli strikes on a large gas field jointly owned by Iran and Qatar.

In less than a month, Operation Epic Fury has roiled the global energy market, driving gas prices to their highest levels since 2023 and pushing liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices up more than 50% worldwide. Trump has repeatedly stated his wish to “hold off” on striking infrastructure because “it would take years to rebuild.”

Evidently, according to Trump, Israel has not followed suit.

Trump threatens to ‘blow up’ world’s largest gas field — RT World News– www.rt.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

The US president has warned of an attack on the South Pars area if Iran targets Qatar in response to Israeli strikes

The US will “massively blow up” the South Pars gas field – the world’s largest – if Iran continues to strike Qatari energy facilities, President Donald Trump has warned.

Israel launched strikes on Wednesday on Iran’s facilities in the South Pars gas field in the Gulf, which it shares with Qatar. The South Pars spans almost 10,000 sq km and hosts an estimated 1,800 trillion cubic feet of gas. In response, Iran attacked a Qatari LNG facility and has threatened counterstrikes on key energy infrastructure across the Gulf region.

Pentagon Seeks $200 Billion For Iran War. It’s Nearly 50% Of Tehran’s GDP– www.ndtv.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Pentagon is reportedly seeking over $200 billion from the US Congress to fund President Donald Trump’s war of choice in Iran. If approved, the war funds will boost the US military campaign that began on February 28 and ramp up the production of weapons used during the conflict, according to a report by The Washington Post.

It’s been nearly three weeks since the US, along with Israel, began airstrikes against Iran to dismantle what the US military calls the “Iranian regime’s security apparatus.” So far, American forces have struck more than 7,800 targets and made over 8,000 combat flights and damaged or destroyed more than 120 Iranian vessels, according to U.S. Central Command.

Trump Calls for Israel to Stop Attacks on Iran’s South Pars Gas Field– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

President Donald Trump stated that there would be “NO MORE ATTACKS” by Israel after Israel was reported to have launched strikes on Iran’s South Pars Gas Field.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump stated that the United States “knew nothing about this particular attack,” and added that Qatar “was in no way, shape, or form, involved with it.” Trump explained that because “Iran did not know” Qatar was not involved in the attack, Iran “unjustifiably and unfairly attacked a portion of Qatar’s LNG Gas facility.”

Joe Kent suggests Israel fed US false intel to lure it into striking Iran– www.washingtonexaminer.com

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

Joe Kent, former director of President Donald Trump’s National Counterterrorism Center, said Wednesday that information on Iran originating from Israeli officials and amplified through U.S. media and policy circles played a central role in shaping the president’s decision to carry out military action.

Kent, speaking on the Tucker Carlson Show following his resignation on Tuesday, argued that there was no U.S. intelligence showing Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States and suggested U.S. action was influenced by “an ecosystem of information” tied to Israeli interests and bogus intelligence.

U.S. eases Venezuela oil sanctions amid Iran war energy crisis – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser March 19, 2026 0

Blurb:

U.S. companies will be allowed to do business with Venezuela’s state-owned oil and gas company after the Treasury Department eased sanctions, with some limitations, on Wednesday as the Trump administration looks for ways to boost world oil supplies during the Iran war.

The Treasury issued a broad authorization allowing Petróleos de Venezuela S.A, or PDVSA, to directly sell Venezuelan oil to U.S. companies and on global markets, a massive shift after Washington for years had largely blocked dealings with Venezuela’s government and its oil sector.

Separately, the White House said Trump would waive, for 60 days, Jones Act requirements for goods shipped between U.S. ports to be moved on U.S.-flagged vessels. The 1920s law, designed to protect the American shipbuilding sector, is often blamed for making gas more expensive.

The moves highlight the increased pressure that the Republican administration is under to ease soaring oil prices as the United States, along with Israel, wages a war with Iran without a foreseeable end date. Global oil prices have since spiked as Iran halted traffic through the narrow Strait of Hormuz, where one-fifth of the world’s oil typically passes through from the Persian Gulf to customers worldwide.

US National Counterterrorism Director Joe Kent Resigns: ‘I Cannot In Good Conscience Support The Ongoing War…Iran Posed No Imminent Threat’– wltreport.com

pgnewser March 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

This is quite shocking.

Joe Kent, the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, has announced his resignation effective immediately.

Kent, in a lengthy resignation post on X, shared that he cannot, in good conscience, support the war in Iran.

The former CIA paramilitary officer added that Iran never posed an imminent threat to the United States.

AP broke the story:

Joe Kent, Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center, has resigned from the Trump administration.

Kent said he “cannot in good conscience” back Trump’s war in Iran.

Iran “posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby,” Kent posted on social media Tuesday.

Kent is a former political candidate with connections to right-wing extremists who was confirmed to his post last July on a 52-44 vote.

Take a look:

Full resignation letter:

President Trump,

After much reflection, I have decided to resign from my position as Director of the National Counterterrorism Center, effective today.

I cannot in good conscience support the ongoing war in Iran. Iran posed no imminent threat to our nation, and it is clear that we started this war due to pressure from Israel and its powerful American lobby.

I support the values and the foreign policies that you campaigned on in 2016, 2020, 2024, which you enacted in your first term. Until June of 2025, you understood that the wars in the Middle East were a trap that robbed America of the precious lives of our patriots and depleted the wealth and prosperity of our nation.

In your first administration, you understood better than any modern President how to decisively apply military power without getting us drawn into never-ending wars. You demonstrated this by killing Qasam Solamani and by defeating ISIS.

Early in this administration, high-ranking Israeli officials and influential members of the American media deployed a misinformation campaign that wholly undermined your America First platform and sowed pro-war sentiments to encourage a war with Iran. This echo chamber was used to deceive you into believing that Iran posed an imminent threat to the United States, and that should you strike now, there was a clear path to a swift victory. This was a lie and is the same tactic the Israelis used to draw us into the disastrous Iraq war that cost our nation the lives of thousands of our best men and women. We cannot make this mistake again.

As a veteran who deployed to combat 11 times and as a Gold Star husband who lost my beloved wife Shannon in a war manufactured by Israel, I cannot support sending the next generation off to fight and die in a war that serves no benefit to the American people nor justifies the cost of American lives.

I pray that you will reflect upon what we are doing in Iran, and who we are doing it for. The time for bold action is now. You can reverse course and chart a new path for our nation, or you can allow us to slip further toward decline and chaos. You hold the cards.

It was an honor to serve in your administration and to serve our great nation.

2 Top Iranian Leaders Eliminated, Israel Says– www.dailysignal.com

pgnewser March 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

Two top Iranian leaders have been killed as the United States and Israel continue their joint operation against the Iranian regime.

Ali Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council and Gholamreza Soleimani, the commander of the Basij Force, have been eliminated, the Israeli Defense Forces announced Tuesday.

“Under Soleimani, the Basij unit led the main repression operations in Iran, employing severe violence, widespread arrests, and the use of force against civilian demonstrators,” according to the IDF.

Larijani was closely associated with the late Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and was one of the nation’s top security officials. The former supreme leader tasked Larijani and several other officials with ensuring the regime would survive if he were killed, The New York Times reports.

“Throughout the years, Larijani was considered one of the most veteran and senior figures within the Iranian regime leadership,” according to the IDF.