u/AnonymousLoner1

"Bloomberg Reporters Javier Blas Posts On X 'BREAKING: The US Strategic Petroleum Reserve released last week >1.22 million barrels a day (~8.6 million for the week). That's the largest ever weekly release, surpassing the peak rate seen in 2022 when President Biden tapped the SPR after Russia invaded Ukraine.'"

"The newly-formed "Project Freedom" is a competing vision for marine traffic: guided by the U.S., conducted without charge. Iran opposes the mission and has used force in an attempt to block it, including attacks on merchant ships and on U.S. Navy destroyers."

"Trump announces a pause on US escorts of ships in Strait of Hormuz

The reversal came just two days after the president said the U.S. would guide vessels from neutral countries out of the strait."

"The newly-formed "Project Freedom" is a competing vision for marine traffic: guided by the U.S., conducted without charge. Iran opposes the mission and has used force in an attempt to block it, including attacks on merchant ships and on U.S. Navy destroyers."

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"Trump announces a pause on US escorts of ships in Strait of Hormuz

The reversal came just two days after the president said the U.S. would guide vessels from neutral countries out of the strait."

"Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, the American leader said Italy had "not been of any help to us," and accused Spain of being "absolutely horrible." Both Spain and Italy have denied U.S. military planes that are taking part in the Iran war from using their bases.

The remarks follow similar threats aimed at Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz earlier this week. All three European NATO allies have been critical of the U.S.-Israel war on Iran.

...

Sánchez has styled himself as a European counterweight to Trump, while Meloni — one of Trump's European staunchest allies after his reelection in 2024 — has been distancing herself from the U.S. president recently, in a bid to save her premiership ahead of the national election expected in 2027. Merz said the U.S. is getting "humiliated" by Iran in the Middle East conflict.

"The lack of U.S. strategy and the fact that the Iranians are stronger than previously thought made it hard to end the conflict now, he said.

"Especially since the Iranians are negotiating very skillfully — or rather, very skillfully not negotiating," he added. "And then letting the Americans travel to Islamabad, only to send them back without any results. An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership, especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards."

Further proof of why the invaders would ever specifically target this exact area:

"A special forces raid on Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile would be fraught with risk – but might just be worth it"

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/03/17/death-defying-nuclear-commando-mission-could-end-iran-war/

"A fire has broken out at an air base currently used by the US air force in the war against Iran.

Several crews were deployed to the incident at RAF Fairford in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Footage taken overnight appears to show smoke billowing from what is claimed to be the base’s commissary, a shop that provides food and equipment.

Other pictures from the scene show that the building’s roof collapsed as firefighters brought the blaze under control.

...

A spokesman for the Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service said: “We are responding to a fire in a commercial building in the Fairford area. Residents are advised to keep their doors and windows closed due to smoke from the fire.”

The Government allowed the US air force to use the military base near the Wiltshire border in March, following the outbreak of the war in the Middle East.

...

While some welcomed the arrival, there had been protests against the decision, with around 200 people gathered at the base on Saturday.

Protesters held signs that read “No war on Iran”, “US out of British bases” and “Stop Trump’s deadly wars”.

...

It was used in the aerial bombardment of Libya in 1986, acting as a staging post for air-to-air refuelling tankers."

"American military bases and other equipment in the Persian Gulf region suffered extensive damage from Iranian strikes that is far worse than publicly acknowledged and is expected to cost billions of dollars to repair, according to three U.S. officials, two congressional aides and another person familiar with the damage."