US Perspective on the Iran - Israel / US War

shapurzolaktaf said:
Abu-Donkey, PG=Persian Gulf, not Pakistan.
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China’s Top 10 Crude Oil Import Sources in 2025
Share of total crude oil imports by value:
Russia — 16.6%
Saudi Arabia — 14.7%
Iraq — 11.3%
Malaysia — 10.5%
Brazil — 8.1%
United Arab Emirates — 7.0%
Oman — 6.6%
Angola — 5.3%
Kuwait — 3.4%
Canada — 2.5%
Iran only blocked the Strait of Hormuz. The existing exports of the UAE and Saudi Arabia have reached their peak, the UAE has additional routes, and Chinese vessels can pass freely through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
For China's crude oil imports, only supplies from Iraq, Iran, and Kuwait would be directly affected, accounting for roughly 25% of total imports. Meanwhile, China's crude oil import demand fell by about 50% in June 2026, meaning that even if all three countries completely stopped supplying oil, China would still have a surplus in its import capacity.
 
royalharris said:
The country has been bombed into a pile of rubble, wave after wave of senior government and military officials have been killed off like crops being cut down, and yet they still think they’re winning every day? The way Iranians think is truly bizarre!
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It’s the same group that thought Hamas was winning for simply surviving. In the end, Hamas surrendered. Historically, it takes many years for regimes like Irans to fall. Just look at Saddam, Gaddafi, Assad etc. This war has set in motion the downfall of the regime. Irans military and economy are decimated. Iran has zero deterrence as it’s getting bombed at will. Their entire conventional navy was sunk. It’s under naval blockade. The status quo is unsustainable for Iran. It’s death by a thousand cuts.
 
F-22Raptor said:
It’s the same group that thought Hamas was winning for simply surviving. In the end, Hamas surrendered. Historically, it takes many years for regimes like Irans to fall. Just look at Saddam, Gaddafi, Assad etc. This war has set in motion the downfall of the regime. Irans military and economy are decimated. Iran has zero deterrence as it’s getting bombed at will. Their entire conventional navy was sunk. It’s under naval blockade. The status quo is unsustainable for Iran. It’s death by a thousand cuts.
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Iran is now racking its brains trying to drag China into a confrontation with the United States.

The likelihood of a direct conflict between China and the United States is extremely low. Such a conflict would be catastrophic for the entire world, and neither side would take that step unless absolutely forced to do so.

The idea that China would intervene in a conflict for Iran—a country of limited strategic value to China—is utterly absurd and laughable.

Even if Iran wants allies to help, it should look to India.
The two countries have signed a strategic cooperation agreement, jointly developed ports, and worked together to build an Iran-India-Afghanistan trade zone.
Before the U.S.-Iran war, Iran was even conducting naval exercises with India.
 
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The SC said:
Most of those bases are there to service the US weapons sold to the GCC (I'm talking mainly about Saudi Arabia)
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There is not a single US military base in KSA or any other foreign military base. Prince Sultan Air Base is a Saudi Arabian military base (full sovereignty) and the USAF operates in KSA under the full rules of KSA and commands and is only allowed to operate in KSA with the full blessing of the government. When KSA not long ago made some restrictions on the USAF it was immediately seen on the ground (satellite imagery, flight data etc.).

The smaller GCC states and their actual US bases (UK and French ones too) are a remnant of the First Gulf War, Al-Udeid in Qatar was the start of Qatar moving away from being a complete Saudi Arabian province de facto (1995 coup began It - later Al-Jazeera followed) and everyone in the region, rulers of KSA and foreign rulers alike, know that most of those Western/US bases in the smaller GCC states, serve as a protection against possible KSA annexation. Not some incompetent and impoverished Iranian regime boogeyman that do not even have the ability to conquer those small GCC states (their land troops would be turned into mince meat just by the air forces of those small GCC states - which on paper are some of the strongest in the world).

All the smaller GCC states have for 95-99% of all of recorded history belonged to ancient civilizations, cultures, empires, caliphates, kingdoms, sultanates, emirates, imamates, sheikdoms etc. based in modern-day KSA (Arabia) or ruled by people from modern-day KSA. All their ruling families are originally from KSA with the exception of the Omani royal family (Al Bu Said) which is originally from Yemen next door. Same with 90% of the populations in each GCC country.

In any case it is good for the region and the GCC that we are currently not unified on paper again (yet) and that there is a healthy economic etc. competition and on every other field. That bolsters progress more than likely 1 single country and 1 single regime controlling everything. This way mistakes are less costly. Actual formal unification will come with time and at the right movement.
 
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Iran's IRGC says it hit 2 tankers, forced 4 others to turn back in Strait of Hormuz​

Iran's army claims drone attack on US facilities at Kuwait air base

Anadolu Agency/Reuters/Web Desk
July 31, 2026

tribune


Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) claimed on Friday that its naval forces hit and stopped two tankers in the Strait of Hormuz, while four others turned back after receiving Iranian warnings.

In a statement, the IRGC said the incident occurred early Friday when two tankers transited what it described as an “undeclared route” under US air escort and ignored Iranian warnings.

The two tankers were “hit and stopped,” while four others “quickly changed course and returned to their location,” it said.

“Last night, in response to CENTCOM’s false statement, we informed all owners of shipping and insurance companies not to pay attention to CENTCOM statements,” the IRGC said.

Earlier Thursday, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said US forces had redirected 24 commercial vessels and disabled and boarded four others “to ensure full compliance.”

CENTCOM also rejected IRGC claims that navigation through the Strait of Hormuz is unsafe, saying the primary threat to civilian crews remains the IRGC’s actions.

Iran's army claims drone attack on US facilities at Kuwait air base

The Iranian army said on Friday that it launched a drone attack on “strategic" US facilities at Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base in Kuwait.

In a tatement, the army said “fighter aircraft hangars, satellite communication systems, and equipment warehouses” at the base were targeted by explosive drones.

The army described Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base as a “key hub” for US aerial and surveillance operations and logistical support.
 
Israeli army blows up caves, homes in southern Lebanon despite US-mediated framework agreement

Israeli forces carried out large-scale explosions in southern Lebanon late on Thursday and early on Friday, blowing up caves and homes, according to Lebanese state media.

Powerful explosions occurred in the towns of Yohmor al-Shaqif, Arnoun and Kfar Tebnit in the Nabatieh district, Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The blasts echoed across southern Lebanon and were heard as far as Iqlim al-Kharroub and Khaldeh, south of Beirut, the agency said.

Explosions near Beaufort Castle shattered windows and damaged homes in the town of Qlaiaa in the Marjayoun district, it added.

Residents told the agency that a powerful shock wave shook the town as the smell of gunpowder spread through the area.

Early Friday, Israeli forces blew up several caves and homes near the towns of Mansouri and Majdal Zoun in the Tyre district.
 
Iran receives bodies of IRGC members killed in US-Saudi strikes

The IRGC on Friday received the bodies of five members of the IRGC from the "recent US and Saudi attacks on the command centres of the Popular Mobilisation Forces."

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The bodies were brought into the country via the Mehran border crossing.

Separately, Iran's ambassador to Iraq stated that Iraq's tribes "announced their complete readiness to defend Iran"
 
Cyprus hosts two British sovereign military bases, including RAF Akrotiri, which was struck by an Iranian drone in early March, a few days ⁠after Israel and the US initiated strikes on Iran.

Britain agreed early on in the war to a US request to use British bases for defensive strikes against Iranian missiles in storage ⁠depots or launchers. Britain later clarified RAF Akrotiri would not be involved in its defensive agreement with the United States to use UK bases.

The broader defence arrangement was ⁠maintained by the new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham in July, prompting Iran's Revolutionary Guards to warn Britain against facilitating US military operations against Iran.
 
Iran has repeatedly warned countries allowing their territory to be used for US military operations against it that they could "face consequences".

Araghchi held a separate phone call with Cypriot Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, during which he stressed the importance of preventing foreign military bases in Cyprus from being used against Iran.

Bulgaria's parliament last week approved the temporary deployment of up to eight US KC-135 tanker aircraft and up to 250 personnel at Bezmer air base despite ‌Iranian ⁠objections. Sofia has said no offensive weapons would be deployed and that the move did not make Bulgaria a party to military operations.
 
_Arabia_ said:
Same thing applies to KSA. There are no foreign bases in KSA or US foreign bases. US uses the Saudi Arabian Prince Sultan Air Base.

en.wikipedia.org

Prince Sultan Air Base - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Same exact concept like the Incirlik base.

en.wikipedia.org

Incirlik Air Base - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org en.wikipedia.org

Point being is that they have only targeted Turkiye 1 or 2 times. Same way that they largely refrain from targeting KSA despite KSA being the main hub for the USAF in the region outside of Turkiye and Israel.

They prefer targeting tiny Bahrain and Kuwait (ineffective) which does not prevent those nations from continuing to host US forces that directly target Iran. Yesterday US forces fired ATACMS and HIMARS missiles at Iran directly from Kuwait openly. They have done this on numerous occasions.

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If Kuwait was afraid or they were really struggling, they would not have continued their policies. Even small GCC states have attacked Iran directly on numerous occasions.

The Iranian regime have failed in every way.

If the Iranian regime claims to want the "Great Satan" to leave the region why are they not targeting the Turkish bases that host US soldiers and even US nuclear weapons? Such as Incirlik Base (which is one of the largest in the region)? Can they only target empty bases in Kuwait and tiny Bahrain and hotel rooms?

Why are they not targeting Azerbaijan next door (barely) which is one of the closest allies with Israel in the region and buying and hosting Israeli weapons and intelligence assets? Israel likely killed Raisi from Azerbaijan using Israeli intelligence assets deployed there.

The many contradictions of the incompetent Iranian regime.
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What Israeli weapons are Azerbaijan "hosting"?

"Israel likely killed Raisi from Azerbaijan using Israeli intelligence assets deployed there."

How could that be possible when neither Raisi, nor his helicopter ever crossed into Azerbaijan?
 
shapurzolaktaf said:
The U.S. military operation against Iran, which began on February 28, may already have cost the American economy more than $151 billion, although the Pentagon officially acknowledges expenses of only $37.5 billion. These conclusions were reached by The Telegraph after analyzing the direct and indirect consequences of the conflict.

According to the newspaper, if hostilities continue at the current pace, the total losses to the U.S. economy could reach $311 billion by the end of the year.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth previously said that the war had already cost the budget at least $37.5 billion, but experts believe this amount reflects only part of the real expenses.

Harvard University professor Linda Bilmes, who specializes in the economics of war, noted that the official estimate does not take into account long-term costs, including servicing the national debt, rising fuel prices, restoring military equipment, and the broader economic consequences for the country. In her view, the total cost of the conflict could eventually approach $1 trillion.
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Cool, cool, now show me the size of Iran's economy and the impact of the war, oh let me guess, nothing available right?
 
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