Iran

TASK &PURPOSE At least 200 US troops wounded in Iran war, Pentagon says

Officials said 10 U.S. troops have been seriously wounded. Most others have returned to duty.

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Hello from the FT newsroom on the third week of the US and Israel’s war against Iran. With the Strait of Hormuz all but shut and energy facilities across the Gulf under attack, one number continues to dominate the headlines: the price of oil. Brent crude, the international oil benchmark, hit $115 per barrel this morning as Iran retaliated against an Israeli attack on its South Pars gasfield, the backbone of the Islamic republic’s domestic energy system.

As our chief foreign affairs commentator Gideon Rachman writes, “a conflict with Iran that started with vague war aims now has one clear and overriding objective: reopen the Strait of Hormuz”. US President Donald Trump wants Nato and — extraordinarily — China’s help to do that. Neither seems willing. In the meantime, shipping customers are stuck in a “wild west”.

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Hva mener USAs etterretningsjef om Irans atomprosjekt? Les her. 

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Pentagon Seeks More Than $200 Billion in Budget Request for Iran War The Washington Post (Gift Link) The Pentagon has asked the White House to approve a more than $200 billion request to Congress to fund the war in Iran, according to a senior administration official, in an enormous new ask that is almost certain to run into resistance from lawmakers opposed to the conflict.

Trump Hasn't Made Up His Mind on Sending Americans into Iran to Seize Nuclear Material, Sources Say CBS News 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.

How China Is Quietly Helping an Isolated Iran Survive The Wall Street Journal (Gift Link) China is a longstanding friend of Iran that has helped sustain the Islamic Republic through decades of sanctions and international isolation. Since the U.S. and Israeli militaries began striking Iran late last month, Beijing has offered Tehran limited public support, condemning the killing of the Iranian leadership while calling on all sides to stop fighting. But its longstanding support for Iran could grow increasingly critical as the war continues.