More Than "Boots on the Ground": Pentagon Wants Bunkers for the Middle East

The Pentagon has solicited proposals for prefabricated bunkers to be delivered to its bases in the Middle East, hinting at preparations for a longer-term conflict.

As the United States military begins to mass ground troops for a potential invasion of Iran, including its Kharg Island, there are signs the Pentagon could expect to see personnel deployed to the region for far longer than the weeks that President Donald Trump has so far indicated.

Last week, the Department of Defense (DoD) issued a federal contract notice seeking private contractors to provide “prefabricated, transportable, hardened shelter systems designed to protect personnel from blast and fragmentation threats.”

“All proposed solutions must be deliverable to the Aqaba Air Cargo Terminal at King Hussein International Airport in Aqaba, Jordan,” the request read. It requested that potential vendors submit delivery options with timelines for three days, 15 days, and 30 days, as well as the highest level of protection the bunker could provide.

Thirteen US military personnel have been killed, and more than 300 wounded, since the start of Operation Epic Fury more than a month ago.

The US military has had a “need for hardened shelters” for years, both for troops and military aircraft, as The War Zone reported. Many of the existing bunkers in the region were first built after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003, and haven’t been upgraded since.

Even as the United States and Israel have pounded Iran, striking its missile launchers, the Islamic Republic has fired back with enormous intensity. The New York Times reported last week that the threat posed by Iranian missiles and drones to US bases “has led many American troops to relocate to hotels and office spaces throughout the region.”

The paper of record added that many of the 13 regional bases have become “all but uninhabitable”—and that US personnel were, in essence, “fighting the war while working remotely.”

See: 3/27 — US Forces 'Working Remotely' As Iran Turns Gulf Bases To Rubble: Report

US soldiers are being relocated to civilian hotels and office spaces, prompting Iran to accuse Washington of using 'human shields’

3/29 — Iran Announces That It Will Now Target The Homes Of American And Israeli Politicians And U.S. Military Officials Throughout The Middle East.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ National Interest

Related: 4/1 — US Deploying Another Aircraft Carrier To The Middle East For Iran War

The US is deploying a third aircraft carrier to the Middle East for operations against Iran, US officials told media outlets on Tuesday, a sign that the war will continue to escalate despite President Trump’s claims that he is looking to end the conflict.

3/31 — 🇺🇸🇮🇷The US is creating an unprecedented aircraft carrier group near Iran, sending another group of ships, — WSJ

3/29 — JD Vance: "We’re Not Interested In Being In Iran 1 Year Down The Road, 2 Years Down The Road.”

3/29 — ❗️Iran mobilizing 1 million fighters to repel invasion, warns of ‘hell’ if US launches ground war

3/28 — ‼️🇺🇸🇮🇷The US may deploy more than 17,000 troops to the Iranian border, - WSJ.

3/28 — Bombshell: A Former Naval Intelligence Officer Confirms The Trump Administration Is Positioning The 82nd Airborne And Marine Expeditionary Units For A Massive Ground Invasion Of Iran. They Are Preparing To Send Thousands Of American Soldiers Into An Absolute Meat Grinder.

3/29 — JD Vance: "We’re Not Interested In Being In Iran 1 Year Down The Road, 2 Years Down The Road.”

3/25 — Rising Number Of US Troops Oppose Iran War, Refuse To 'Die For Israel': Report

3/22 — Lindsey Graham On Kharg Island: "We Did Iwo Jima. We Can Do This."

3/21 — Trump Weighing Several Options For U.S. Troops Inside Iran

3/21 — Trump Planning To Invade Iran's Kharg Island: Report

3/11 — As U.S. Military Threats And Actions Escalate, Coalition Calls For Ending Preparations For A Military Draft

3/4 — Sen. Blumnethal Says He’s ‘Fearful’ Trump Will Put ‘Boots On The Ground’ In Iran

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🇮🇷🇺🇸 JOE ROGAN: “I’m confused. I can’t believe we went to this war. When we started bombing Iran I was like this can’t be true… Supposedly, they’re trying to stop the terrorists”

THEO VON: “That’s crazy though if you’re the fucking terrorists! If you wanna stop them stand in front of the fucking mirror”

@Megatron_ron

Terrorism — Trump Makes Post About US Bombing Largest Bridge in Iran, Urges Iran to Make a Deal 'BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE'

🔗SOURCE ➡️ Dave DeCamp

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US Strikes Tallest Bridge In Iran After Trump Threatens To Bomb The Country Into The ‘Stone Age’

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said there was 'much more to follow'

A US-Israeli strike hit the B1 bridge in Iran’s Alborz province near the capital Tehran, an attack that came after President Trump threatened to bomb the country into the “Stone Ages.”

The B1 bridge is said to be one of the tallest in the Middle East, and photos show it appeared to be severed in half following the attack. In a post on Truth Social , President Trump shared a video of the explosion on the bridge and threatened that more attacks were coming.

“The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again — Much more to follow!” the president wrote on Truth Social. “IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!”

According to Iranian media, the bridge was under construction when it was hit, and at least eight civilians were killed , and 95 were wounded. The casualties were people gathered under the bridge or near the river for Sizdah Be-dar, or Nature Day, an Iranian holiday when people gather for picnics and other outdoor activities.

“Striking civilian structures, including unfinished bridges, will not compel Iranians to surrender,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ Antiwar.com

Related: 4/3 — Terrorism — Trump Makes Post About US Bombing Largest Bridge in Iran, Urges Iran to Make a Deal 'BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE'

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VIDEO | Israel’s Minister of National Security, Ben-Gvir, has published a video appearing to show a platform prepared for the execution of Palestinian detainees by hanging.

The footage comes days after Israel passed a new law mandating the death penalty for Palestinian detainees. The legislation removes key safeguards, including avenues for appeal and clemency, and applies within a system where Palestinians are tried under military jurisdiction.

Palestinians prosecuted in these courts face conviction rates that consistently exceed 95 percent, with multiple reports placing the figure closer to 99 percent, raising serious concerns about due process and the likelihood of wrongful convictions under a system now empowered to impose capital punishment.

Trump Set To Unveil His $1.5 Trillion Military Budget Request Amid Raging Iran War

President Trump is expected to unveil his request for a $1.5 trillion military budget for the 2027 fiscal year on Friday, Reuters has reported , marking a 50% increase from this year’s already massive budget.

The 2026 military budget marked the first to officially exceed $1 trillion , which was achieved by Congress passing a 2026 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) worth about $900 billion and combining it with $150 billion in supplemental military spending that was included in the so-called Big Beautiful Bill, a reconciliation bill that became law last year.

The White House is expected to go with a similar strategy to reach $1.5 trillion. It may request an NDAA worth about $1 trillion or less and seek a supplemental spending bill for $400 to $600 billion. Republican leadership in Congress has already begun working on the potential supplemental.

The Trump administration is also expected to soon ask Congress for $200 billion in “emergency” spending for the Iran war, mainly to replenish the air defense munitions and missiles used so far in the conflict, which has been raging for more than one month. It’s unclear if the $200 billion for the Iran war would be in addition to the supplemental for the 2027 budget.

The Reuters report said that the massive $1.5 trillion request will include the $185 billion “Golden Dome” project, Trump’s plan for a major new missile defense system for all the territory of the United States, which will be a major boondoggle for the US weapons makers and may spark a new arms race.

The report said the administration also plans to use the money to fund more weapons production with the goal of “deterring” China and to replenish weapons used in the Middle East wars and in Ukraine.

Bloomberg reported that the White House’s budget plan will frame the Republicans’ midterm election message around a massive military buildup, partially paid for by cuts to domestic agencies. The request will come as the US appears to be on the cusp of launching ground operations against Iranian islands and ports, which could lead to significant US casualties.

At the beginning of his term, Trump suggested he was interested in reducing the military budget, but he then dramatically expanded US military interventions worldwide and sought record-breaking spending levels.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ Antiwar.com

Related: 4/2 — New - Trump Wants To Switch To A War Economy In 2027 With Massive Increase In Military Spending And Cuts To Healthcare And Other Domestic Agencies To Fund It — Bloomberg

3/31 — State Sec. Rubio: "Imagine If Instead Of Spending Billions On Weapons, Iran Spent That Money On Its People. They’d Have A Much Different Country.”

1/7 — 🚨🇺🇸🇮🇱😈💣 Just In - Trump Calls For The U.S. Military Budget To Increase From $1,000,000,000,000 To $1,500,000,000,000 For 2027.

12/10/25 — Congress Prepares To Pass NDAA That Will Give Trump His $1 Trillion Military Budget

7/4/25 — House Passes Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ That Will Bring The 2026 Military Budget Over $1 Trillion | Jul 3, 2025

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❗️Handala hacker collective claim major cyberattack, wipe 22 TB of 'Zionist regime' data

The Iranian hacker collective Handala has released a statement claiming responsibility for a large‑scale cyber operation against Israeli targets, framing the timing around the holiday of Passover.

“On the occasion of Passover… we at Handala would like to extend our unique greetings… we have successfully carried out a large‑scale, targeted cyber operation. In this mission, the data of 14 companies of the Zionist regime has been completely wiped… a modest gift for Passover, as a reminder that occupation comes at a price.”

According to the statement, 22  terabytes of data were erased from a list of 14 entities the group describes as “companies of the Zionist regime,” including Kalus, Fuse Stereo, Toledano Architecture & Design, and others. The group added:

“We hereby declare that no database is beyond our reach, and any continuation of occupation and crimes will be met with even heavier costs… Happy Passover, may the occupiers enjoy greater cybersecurity awareness!”

❗️Hamas's Qassam Brigades praises Syrian mass mobilization for Palestine, condemnation of Israeli execution law
——
The military spokesman for Hamas’s Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, commended the Syrian people for their mass mobilization in support of Palestine and in condemnation of Israel’s newly approved "law" that allows for the execution of Palestinian detainees, saying: “Your voice has reached us, and we are proud of you.” He added that “our hopes, after Allah, are tied to you and to all free people,” expressing confidence that the masses will one day unite to “liberate the sanctuary and the prisoners.”

Demonstrations were reported across Syria in recent days, with large crowds gathering in multiple cities and regions in a broad and coordinated wave of public solidarity across the country.

UAE Pushes Washington To ‘Force Open’ Strait Of Hormuz: Report

Saudi Arabia is also lobbying the US to continue the war until the Islamic Republic is overthrown

The UAE is preparing to directly enter the US-Israeli war on Iran and participate in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz “by any means necessary,” sources told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on 31 March.

Abu Dhabi is “preparing to help the US and other allies open the Strait of Hormuz by force,” the sources said, adding that the Gulf state is “lobbying for a UN Security Council resolution that would authorize such action.”

“Emirati diplomats have urged the US and military powers in Europe and Asia to form a coalition to open the strait by force. The Iranian regime thinks it is fighting for its existence and is willing to bring the global economy down with it in a chokehold on the strait,” one of the sources, a UAE official, told WSJ.

The official went on to say that his country was “actively reviewing” how it could play a military role in securing the Strait of Hormuz and clearing any mines which may have been laid by Iranian forces.

Arab officials told the outlet that “the Gulf state has also said the US should occupy islands in the strategic waterway, including Abu Musa,” one of three Persian Gulf islands disputed between Iran and the UAE but controlled by the Islamic Republic.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle

Related: 3/23 — Saudi Arabia, UAE Deepen Support For US-Israel War On Iran: Report

President Trump is reportedly extorting the GCC states for trillions of dollars to support the war

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are deepening their support for the US–Israeli war on Iran by expanding military cooperation and granting Washington broader access to Gulf territory to stage attacks on the Islamic Republic, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported on 20 March.

3/19 — One side is being honest

3/17 — Iran's Ambassador To Saudi Arabia Urges ‘Serious Review’ Of Gulf Ties

3/17 — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been secretly advising Trump to keep hitting Iran hard, despite Riyadh's public rhetoric against the war — the New York Times reports

3/16 — 🇺🇸 "I heard they were sending missiles to UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is getting hit, Bahrain. There was no expert that would say that is going to happen."

3/16 — 🛢 Sidestepping the Hormuz squeeze: Has Saudi Arabia's desert pipeline flipped Iran's blockade script?

3/15 — US-Israeli War On Iran Seeks To 'Reshape West Asia, Block Creation Of Palestinian State': Omani FM

3/11 — Ultra-Wealthy Asian Investors ‘Rethink’ Dubai Exposure Amid US-Israeli War On Iran

3/10 — 3/5 — Saudi Journalist Says 'Not All Attacks' On Gulf Coming From Iran, Fears US-Israel Dragging Monarchies Into War

3/9 — Retaliatory Strike Hits Bahrain Desalination Plant After US Attack On Iran’s Qeshm Facility

3/3 — Saudi Arabia, Qatar Arrest Mossad Agents Planning 'Terror Attacks': Report

3/3 — Tucker Carlson Reports That Last Night In Qatar And Saudi Arabia Mossad Agents Were Arrested After Trying To Create A False Flag And Bomb Innocent People And Blame Iran.

3/3 — Iranian State Media Shared That The Attack On An Oil Refinery In Saudi Arabia Was Carried Out By Israel, Not Iran.

3/2 — —❗️🇸🇦/🇮🇷 NEW: All operations at ARAMCO's Ras Tannoura refinery in Saudi Arabia have been suspended

3/2 — ⭕️ Gulf air defenses strained as US ‘stonewalling’ interceptor requests amid escalating war

2/28 — Dozens Of US Support Aircraft Spotted At Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base Amid Iran War Preparations

2/20 — Chinese Satellites Revealed That Saudi Arabia Would Participate in the War with Iran After All

1/31 — US Aims To Sway Saudi Defence Minister To Get Behind Iran Strikes, Sources Say

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Tobacco Plant Altered To Produce Five Psychedelic Drugs

Genetically engineering tobacco plants could enable a more sustainable production method for psychedelic drugs, which are increasingly in demand for research and medical uses

Scientists have engineered tobacco plants to produce five powerful psychedelic compounds normally found in other plants, fungi and animals in a single crop.

Asaph Aharoni at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel and his colleagues modified Nicotiana benthamiana plants using a technique called agroinfiltration, which involves using a bacterium to introduce genes from other organisms into a plant. The modified plant then makes the proteins encoded by those genes, but the DNA isn’t incorporated into the plant’s genome, so the effect is short-lived.

With the addition of nine genes, the plants were able to produce psilocin and psilocybin, usually found in mushrooms; DMT from various plants; and bufotenin and 5-methoxy-DMT, compounds secreted by the Colorado river toad (Incilius alvarius).

Plants could easily be altered permanently with changes that become inheritable, but doing so could be problematic, given that the compounds produced are commonly used as recreational drugs, says Aharoni. “It’s a little bit tricky if we have it inherited, and then people will ask for seeds,” he says. “We can do it also in tomato, potato, corn.”

The medical uses of psychedelic compounds are becoming more popular and better understood, says Aharoni, but harvesting them from natural sources risks populations threatened by habitat loss and overexploitation. The drugs are chemically synthesised for use in research, but producing them in tobacco plants, which are easily cultivated in greenhouses, would be much simpler.

The idea of growing drugs through pharmaceutical farming, or “pharming”, certainly isn’t new. Plant-produced protein drugs have been approved in the US since 2012, and as far back as 2002, maize has been modified to produce a pharmaceutical protein. Another research team used tobacco plants in 2022 to synthesise cocaine, discovering that it could produce about 400 nanograms of cocaine per milligram of dried leaf – about a 25th of the level in a coca plant.

Rupert Fray at the University of Nottingham, UK, says around 25 per cent of prescription drugs are derived wholly or partially from plants, and there are massive opportunities to create “green factories” that can grow new compounds in greenhouses.

“If you want to understand something, you’ve got to be able to build something, so showing that you can make it in tobacco plants is useful,” says Fray. “As a technical accomplishment, to show that you understand the pathways and can do it, I think it has value.”

🔗SOURCE ➡️ New Scientist / The Daily Psyop

Related: 11/30/23 — Multiple studies have shown that there is no evidence that depression is caused by a chemical imbalance, yet more than 80 percent of the public believe it to be true. Let's explore this and more...

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Persian Gulf States To Build New Pipelines To Bypass Strait Of Hormuz: Report

Israel is suggesting that pipelines carrying Gulf oil run through its territory to Haifa

Persian Gulf countries are making plans to build new oil pipelines to bypass the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that is now effectively shut to the US and its allies, and under Iranian control, the Financial Times (FT) reported on 2 April.

The Strait of Hormuz, the narrow passage through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s energy exports pass, has been largely closed since the start of the US-Israeli war on Iran that began on 28 February.

The strait is not likely to open any time soon due to the threat of Iranian missiles and drones, as well as skyrocketing insurance costs determined by western insurance firms.

Gulf states are therefore considering alternatives to mitigate the ongoing and future risk.

“Officials and industry executives say new pipelines may be the only way to reduce Gulf countries’ enduring vulnerability to disruption in the strait, even though such projects would be expensive, politically complex and take years to complete,” the FT wrote.

🔗SOURCE ➡️ The Cradle

Related: 3/29 — Trump claimed that Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is forced to "kiss his ass" and should be "nice" to him.

3/23 — Saudi Arabia, UAE Deepen Support For US-Israel War On Iran: Report

President Trump is reportedly extorting the GCC states for trillions of dollars to support the war

Saudi Arabia and the UAE are deepening their support for the US–Israeli war on Iran by expanding military cooperation and granting Washington broader access to Gulf territory to stage attacks on the Islamic Republic, Middle East Eye (MEE) reported on 20 March.

3/19 — One side is being honest

3/17 — Iran's Ambassador To Saudi Arabia Urges ‘Serious Review’ Of Gulf Ties

3/17 — Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has been secretly advising Trump to keep hitting Iran hard, despite Riyadh's public rhetoric against the war — the New York Times reports

3/16 — 🇺🇸 "I heard they were sending missiles to UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait is getting hit, Bahrain. There was no expert that would say that is going to happen."

3/16 — 🛢 Sidestepping the Hormuz squeeze: Has Saudi Arabia's desert pipeline flipped Iran's blockade script?

3/15 — US-Israeli War On Iran Seeks To 'Reshape West Asia, Block Creation Of Palestinian State': Omani FM

3/11 — Ultra-Wealthy Asian Investors ‘Rethink’ Dubai Exposure Amid US-Israeli War On Iran

3/10 — 3/5 — Saudi Journalist Says 'Not All Attacks' On Gulf Coming From Iran, Fears US-Israel Dragging Monarchies Into War

3/9 — Retaliatory Strike Hits Bahrain Desalination Plant After US Attack On Iran’s Qeshm Facility

3/3 — Saudi Arabia, Qatar Arrest Mossad Agents Planning 'Terror Attacks': Report

3/3 — Tucker Carlson Reports That Last Night In Qatar And Saudi Arabia Mossad Agents Were Arrested After Trying To Create A False Flag And Bomb Innocent People And Blame Iran.

3/3 — Iranian State Media Shared That The Attack On An Oil Refinery In Saudi Arabia Was Carried Out By Israel, Not Iran.

3/2 — —❗️🇸🇦/🇮🇷 NEW: All operations at ARAMCO's Ras Tannoura refinery in Saudi Arabia have been suspended

3/2 — ⭕️ Gulf air defenses strained as US ‘stonewalling’ interceptor requests amid escalating war

2/28 — Dozens Of US Support Aircraft Spotted At Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base Amid Iran War Preparations

2/20 — Chinese Satellites Revealed That Saudi Arabia Would Participate in the War with Iran After All

1/31 — US Aims To Sway Saudi Defence Minister To Get Behind Iran Strikes, Sources Say

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A nuclear strike wouldn’t save Israel — it could end it, says Victor Gao.

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WH Spiritual Adviser Paula White: 'Christians Should Donate Their First Tenth Of Gross Income To Israel To Honor God And His Tithe'

Imagine your spiritual adviser telling you to Venmo another country 10% of your paycheck or you're disobeying God

🔗SOURCE ➡️ Ounka

Related: 9/30/25 — President Trump Met With Chabad-Lubavitch Leaders For The "High Holidays,” Joined By Secretary Of Commerce Howard Lutnick, Deputy Chief Of Staff Stephen Miller, Faith Policy Advisor Paula White, And Jared Kushner.

8/12/25 — Trump Faith Advisor Paula White's first question asks Netanyahu about the "End of Days"

4/17/25 — Trump's White House Faith Advisor Paula White Says Christians Should Be Mandated To Visit Israel Before Getting Into Heaven

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Donald Trump Back In 2020: "We’ve Spent 8 Trillion Dollars In The Middle East And We’re Not Fixing Our Roads... It's Crazy."

🔗SOURCE ➡️ HatsOff

Related: 4/2 — The best aged quote in american history?

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Pam Bondi was just fired by Trump. Here’s how the stock market has fared since her infamous ‘Dow is over 50,000’ comment.

Did Trump fire Pam Bondi because she "jinxed" the Stock Market?

From MarketWatch:

Excerpts:

Seven weeks before President Donald Trump announced her departure from the Justice Department via social-media post, Attorney General Pam Bondi made a remark about the Dow Jones Industrial Average during a contentious hearing before the House Judiciary Committee that elicited laughter from Democrats and, later, a torrent of online comments and then memes.

Amid an exchange with House Democrats including Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland about her department’s handling of Jeffrey Epstein files and investigations, Bondi suddenly shifted to a discussion of the performance of the U.S. stock market.

“Because [of] Donald Trump … the Dow, the Dow right now, is over … the Dow is over 50,000. … I don’t know why you’re laughing, you’re a great stock trader as I hear, Raskin, the Dow is over 50,000 right now, the S&P [500] at almost 7,000 and the Nasdaq smashing records. Americans 401(k)s and retirement savings are booming,” Bondi said, adding: “That’s what we should be talking about.”

At the time, many wondered whether Bondi might have inadvertently top-ticked the market. In retrospect, her remark, made on Feb. 11, has marked at least a local top, as Wall Street professionals would call it. Since the closing bell rang that day, the Dow has fallen by 7.5% to 46,370, as of afternoon trading on Thursday, according to Dow Jones Market Data. The blue-chip average registered a closing peak of 50,188.14 on Feb. 10, a day before Bondi’s testimony.

Joseph Saluzzi, co-head of equity trading at Themis Trading, told MarketWatch that the comment immediately got people talking about whether Bondi had “jinxed” the market.

❗️Gulf states move to bypass Strait of Hormuz with new oil routes to Mediterranean

Gulf states are exploring plans to expand oil export routes beyond the Strait of Hormuz as the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran exposes the risks of relying on the strategic waterway. According to The Financial Times, proposals under discussion include new corridors linking the Arabian Peninsula to the Mediterranean, with the port of Haifa emerging as a key potential outlet. The move reflects growing urgency among regional powers to reduce exposure to a chokepoint increasingly affected by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Saudi Arabia’s existing East-West pipeline has allowed it to maintain steady exports while bypassing the strait, reinforcing calls for broader infrastructure to replicate this model. Officials and industry figures are now considering an integrated network of pipelines, railways, and roads designed to shift regional trade patterns away from Hormuz. Lebanese and regional contractors have reportedly already received inquiries linked to potential pipeline expansion projects.

At the center of these discussions is the US-backed India-to-Mediterranean corridor, which would connect South Asia to Europe through Gulf and Israeli infrastructure. Israeli officials have promoted westward energy routes as a long-term solution, arguing that reducing reliance on Hormuz would reshape regional power dynamics. While such plans face political and logistical hurdles, they highlight a deepening alignment aimed at weakening Iran’s strategic control over one of the world’s most critical energy arteries.

Trump: I hang out with losers because it makes be feel better. I hate guys that are very, very successful and you have to listen to their success stories. I like people that like to listen to my success.