Nothing is really going on in the conflict….
Trump may go to a limited resumption of bombing
Or?
He may not….
There are reports that some military assets in the Middle East ARE being sent home….
Again?
When it come to the Iran government?
Who IS in charge?
Oh?
Gas prices in America keep heading North of $4 a gallon from. around $2.70 two months ago…
- The United Arab Emirates announced Tuesday that it will leave OPEC effective May 1, stripping the oil cartel of one of its largest producers. While the announcement doesn’t change anything regarding the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz, it could help lower oil prices after the war if the UAE increases its production capacity. Brent crude oil traded over 50% higher than its prewar price.
- The U.S. military said Tuesday in a social media post that it boarded and released a commercial ship in the Arabian Sea east of the Strait of Hormuz that was suspected of heading for Iran. The command said it has now redirected 39 vessels since start of the blockade on ships going to and from Iranian ports.
- Iran offered to end its chokehold on the Strait if the U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program, two regional officials said Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the offer, and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared to rule out any deal that excludes Iran’s nuclear program.
- Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been killed in Iran and over 2,500 people in Lebanon amid fighting between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group. Another 23 have been killed in Israel. The toll in Lebanon also includes 16 Israeli soldiers and six U.N. peacekeepers. Across the region, 13 U.S. service members have been killed, along with at least 10 crew members on ships and more than a dozen people in Gulf Arab states.
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ISW....Iran Update Special Report, April 29, 2026
- Iran is unlikely to make meaningful concessions in its next proposal to the United States, which is expected in the next several days. Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Major General Ahmad Vahidi, whose hardline position on negotiations the regime has adopted, appears unwilling to concede on Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s nuclear program.
- Mainstream Iranian politicians are consolidating around the decision to avoid discussing the nuclear issue before the United States lifts the naval blockade on Iranian ports, which was Vahidi’s preferred policy outcome. Other Iranian regime factions do not appear to materially constrain Vahidi’s uncompromising position.
- The Iranian regime is likely attempting to modify and legitimize its plan to exert sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz by including Oman in a scheme to collect tolls on shipping through the Strait. This would enable Iran to present a “new proposal” to the United States without compromising on any Iranian red lines. Oman rejected Iran’s proposal, however.
- Iranian leaders are preparing for a variety of contingencies and risks that could result from a hardline negotiating position that fails to end the war, including an economic collapse that triggers economic unrest, a long-term blockade, or a resumption of the US-Israeli air campaign.
- Iran has responded to growing pressure on the economy caused by the war, sanctions, and the blockade by shoring up internal unity, presumably as an initial step in a more comprehensive internal security plan.
- Iran is reportedly exploring alternative methods to circumvent the US blockade of its ports, which is a suboptimal way to alleviate some of the economic pressure, including seizing US commercial vessels or Israeli-linked vessels, relying on trade with Russia and other countries bordering the Caspian Sea, or even the Houthis attacking vessels through the Bab el Mandeb Strait.
- Iran has almost certainly used the ceasefire to reorganize and regenerate its missile and drone forces, which were badly degraded on the operational level prior to the ceasefire.
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In his first major public appearance before Congress since the beginning of the Iran war, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Wednesday that the biggest adversary the United States faced was not Iran’s military, but the “feckless and defeatist words” of Democrats and some Republican lawmakers.
It was a preview of what turned out to be a contentious debate over the Iran war.
The Defense Department’s nearly $1.45 trillion budget request was ostensibly the reason for the House Armed Services Committee hearing, but lawmakers made little mention of it during several hours of questioning.
Mr. Hegseth offered a full-throated defense of “Operation Epic Fury,” which began on Feb. 28. Sitting next to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Jay Hurst, the Pentagon comptroller, Mr. Hegseth repeatedly stressed that the war was necessary because Iran posed an “existential threat” to the United States.
The defense secretary grew testy during the hearing and mocked the questions of Democratic lawmakers, prompting a rare admonition from the committee chairman.
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The Iran war has cost $25 billion so far, according to the Pentagon.
Mr. Hurst said that figure is mostly representative of the tens of thousands of bombs and missiles used in the conflict. It was the first time the Defense Department has publicly provided a cost estimate for the war.
The war has consumed a large percentage of the Pentagon’s longest-range conventional munitions, such as air-launched stealth cruise missiles and ground-launched Precision Strike Missiles.
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He attacked critics of the Iran War.
Mr. Hegseth, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan as a junior officer in the Army National Guard, took exception to members of Congress who have characterized the Iran War as “a quagmire.”
“It’s been two months,” Mr. Hegseth retorted. “You want to talk about a forever war?”
“I know the American people support that mission, despite your loose talk and words like ‘quagmire,’” Mr. Hegseth said. Recent polls, however, show a minority of Americans approve of the U.S. military action in Iran.
Mr. Hegseth also dismissed queries from Democrats about higher gas and food prices as a result of the war as “gotcha” questions. “What would you pay to ensure that Iran doesn’t get a nuclear bomb?” the defense secretary said….
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And he defended actions that legal experts have called war crimes.
Asked if he stood by his statement that American troops would allow “no quarter, no mercy for our enemies,” Mr. Hegseth said the military under his leadership “fights to win.”
A “no quarter” order is one to kill all enemy combatants, even those who are badly injured or have surrendered.
“We ensure that our war fighters have the rules of engagement necessary to be as effective as humanly possible,” the secretary added, after Representative Seth Moulton, Democrat of Massachusetts, pointed out that such an order was a war crime under the military’s Uniform Code of Military Justice and international law….
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Hegseth defends firings of top military officers
The defense secretary faced intense questions from Rep. Chrissy Houlahan, a Pennsylvania Democrat, about his decision to oust the Army’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Randy George, one of several top military officers to be dismissed since Trump took office again.
Houlahan said George was deeply respected by members of the military and Congress and asked why Hegseth fired him. Hegseth’s response that “new leadership” was needed failed to satisfy Houlahan.
“You have no way of explaining why you fired one of the most decorated and remarkable men,” Houlahan began, before Hegseth interrupted her. “We needed new leadership,” he repeated.
The Pentagon also announced this month that Navy Secretary John Phelan was stepping down. Hegseth previously removed Adm. Lisa Franchetti, the Navy’s top uniformed officer, Gen. Jim Slife, the Air Force’s No. 2 leader and others, while Trump fired Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown Jr. as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Republican Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska said that while Hegseth is empowered to make personnel changes, he shared what he called “bipartisan concern” about the firings.
“We had a huge bipartisan majority here that had confidence in the Army chief of staff and the secretary of the navy,” Bacon said. “And I would just point out it may be constitutionally right … but it doesn’t make it right or wise.”
Hegseth has said the changes are part of building a “warrior culture” at the Pentagon…..
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Scoop: Commanders to brief Trump on new Iran military options Thursday
President Trump is slated to receive a briefing on new plans for potential military action in Iran on Thursday from CENTCOM Commander Adm. Brad Cooper, two sources with knowledge tell Axios.
Why it matters: The briefing signals that Trump is seriously considering resuming major combat operations either to try to break the logjam in negotiations or to deliver a final blow before ending the war.
Behind the scenes: CENTCOM has prepared a plan for a “short and powerful” wave of strikes on Iran — likely including infrastructure targets — in hopes of breaking the negotiating deadlock, three sources with knowledge said.
- The hope would be that Iran would then return to the negotiating table showing more flexibility on the nuclear issue.
- Another plan expected to be shared with Trump is focused on taking over part of the Strait of Hormuz to reopen it to commercial shipping. Such an operation could include ground forces, one source said.
- Another option that has been discussed in the past and might come up in the briefing is a special forces operation to secure Iran’s stockpile of highly enriched uranium.
State of play: Trump told Axios on Wednesday that he saw the naval blockade on Iran as “somewhat more effective than the bombing.”
- Two sources told Axios that Trump currently sees the blockade as his primary source of leverage, but he would consider military action if Iran still won’t cave…..
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