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The discussion centers on the U.S. military buildup in the Middle East amid tensions with Iran and the broader regional dynamics driving the potential conflict. Key points include: - Military posture and numbers: The 82nd Airborne Division and 5,000 U.S. Marines are traveling to the region, with CENTCOM confirming roughly 50,000 U.S. troops already there. President Biden previously acknowledged that American forces were “sitting ducks” and that an attack was imminent. The hosts note that ground forces are arriving by Friday, with the Marine Expeditionary Unit from the Pacific on station soon, and reference a pattern of rapid escalation around Fridays into Saturdays in past conflicts. - Public reaction and political stance: Representative Nancy Mace says she will not support troops on the ground in Iran, even after briefing. The panel questions what powers she or others have to restrict presidential war powers, noting a perception that both parties are in lockstep on war funding. - Open-source intelligence on deployments: There is a reported flow of special operations elements—Delta Force, SEAL Team Six, Task Force 160, 75th Ranger Regiment—into or toward the Middle East, with multiple flights of SEACEs and C-17s observed in the last 48 hours. The discussion emphasizes the significance of such ground-force movements and their possible outcomes. - Iranian messaging and claims: An IRGC spokesman claimed that if the American public knew the true casualties, there would be outrage, and that “all American bases in the region have effectively been destroyed,” with American soldiers “hiding in locations adjacent to these locations and they are basically being hunted down.” - Expert analysis on negotiations and off-ramps: Doctor Trita Parsi of the Quincy Institute argues that an off-ramp would require behind-the-scenes talks and cautions that the 15-point plan reportedly leaked to the Israeli press is not a basis for serious negotiation. He suggests a diplomacy path could involve sanctions relief and restricted military actions, but warns the public leaks risk undermining negotiations. - Israel’s role and objectives: Parsi states that Israel has aimed to sabotage negotiations and that Netanyahu’s objectives differ from U.S. aims. He suggests Israel desires a prolonged war to degrade Iran, while Trump’s objective may be to declare victory and withdraw. The panel discusses how Israeli influence and regional actions (Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon) relate to U.S. strategy and regional stability. - Saudi Arabia and other regional players: New York Times reporting indicates Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman privately lobbied Trump to keep the conflict going and even push for boots on the ground. The Saudi position is described as complex, with the foreign ministry potentially opposing war tones while MBS may have privately supported escalating the conflict. The guests discuss whether Saudi wealth is tied to the petrodollar and how a potential Iranian escalation could impact the region economically and politically. - Iran’s potential targets and escalatory capacity: Iran could retaliate against UAE and Bahrain, which are closely linked to the Abraham Accords and Israel. Iran’s capacity to strike urban centers and critical infrastructures in the Gulf region is acknowledged, and the discussion underscores the risk of significant disruption to desalination plants and strategic assets. - Propaganda and public perception: Iran released a viral video portraying global victims of U.S. and Israeli actions; the panel notes the messaging is aimed at shaping U.S. domestic opinion and demonstrates the intensity of propaganda on both sides during war. - Two emphasized “truths” (from Parsi): first, there has been a misperception about the efficiency of Iran’s missiles due to media censorship and selective reporting; second, U.S. and Israeli interests in the region have diverged, calling for a reassessment of national interest over coalition pressures. - Additional context: The conversation touches on U.S. military readiness, enrollment trends, and the broader historical pattern of wars shaped by executive decisions and external influences, including pressure from regional powers. The discussion ends with thanks to Dr. Parsi and an invitation for future conversations.

The team spots a large weapon down below and moves to descend to inspect it. 'Six five one zero.' They report they are over the village and think they see a vehicle in the courtyard: 'We're over the village right now. I think I see a vehicle down in the courtyard.' They commit to checking it out: 'I'm gonna check it out.' They receive praise: 'Well done, Hawks. Well done.' Finally, they direct the engagement: 'Once a 20 Mike Mike Vulcan right along those tree lines, ripple the shit out of them.'

I messed up on my first mission because drones jammed our comms. I couldn't hear approaches or anything; it was difficult. We were quickly surrounded as they drove up with trenches covered with film. We didn't even realize they were storming our positions. Several drones were hovering above us, creating a solid hum, and we couldn't hear anything. In that noise, we heard, "If anyone is in the dugout, come out, or we'll throw grenades."

The speaker outlines a strategy of overwhelming air power aimed at Iran, emphasizing ongoing aerial pressure over Tehran and the capital, with the IRGC and Iranian leadership under constant surveillance by US and Israeli air power until the objective is achieved. The described arsenal includes B-2s, B-52s, B-1s, Predator drones, and fighters “controlling the skies,” delivering “death and destruction from the sky all day long.” The message asserts that “we’re playing for keeps,” and that war fighters have “maximum authorities granted personally by the president and yours truly.” The speaker asserts that “Our rules of engagement are bold, precise, and designed to unleash American power, not shackle it.” He emphasizes that the situation was never intended to be a fair fight and is not a fair fight, stating, “We are punching them while they're down, which is exactly how it should be.”

Speaker 0 introduces a “hidden operation theory” about the F-15 down and the rescue, describing it as a conspiracy theory that has emerged. The claim is that US special forces were already on the ground inside Iran when the F-15 was shot down, with the rescue location near the Isfahan nuclear site. The theory suggests the ground operation’s objective could have been to target nuclear material or uranium, and that the F-15’s role may have been to sanitize airspace to facilitate the ground operation. The theory posits the F-15 was shot down by Iran, the ground operation was exposed, and the extraction became urgent, turning a ground operation into a rescue because it went sideways. The official US version is that the operation was a combat search and rescue (CSAR) to recover the downed pilot, with heavy fire during extraction and no comment on covert operations. The question is why big aircraft were used to remove one pilot. Speaker 1 (Sameer Joshi) acknowledges there are missing pieces but remains focused on CSAR as the main interpretation of the first few days. He notes on the first day: one C-130, one MC-130, and two Blackhawks (HH-60s) were sent; one pilot was recovered. The WSO was in communicado for about 24 hours, planning and hiding, and his message confounded observers. The C-130s and tankers fed the mission; jamming and electronic warfare were employed to discourage Iranian regrouping. The US would have faced opposition on the ground; the field selected was a former Iranian agricultural airfield where two MH-130s landed. The Delta or C-6 aircraft provided support, creating a perimeter while smaller roving patrol helicopters watched for threats. The combination of Reapers and fighters (A-10s, F-15Es) supported a plausible, well-planned operation. The US would have faced ground-fire but proceeded to recover the WSO and pilot, with details still undisclosed. Once resources were committed and the operation appeared successful, CENTCOM framed it as an audacious mission with a visible payoff in the pilot’s return. He believes this is the likely scenario and notes there may be other theories, but focuses on the ongoing operation’s positive outcome. Speaker 0 agrees, noting that covert operations may prevent full disclosure and that the discussion is warranted given war aims and endgame questions. Abhijit (Speaker 2) is introduced to comment on the C-130s being stuck in the mud. He explains skepticism: there may have been another ceasefire operation, but the area’s terrain (high altitude around 6,000 feet) and dust are relevant. He references a historical parallel to 1979/1980 hostage rescues in which CH-53 Stallions were grounded by dust storms. He argues the US “never makes the same mistake twice” and doubts the dust-in-fuel explanation for the two downed helicopters, noting the precision planning typical of American operations (geologists, site surveys). He cites the Abbottabad raid as another example and questions the plausibility of both helicopters going down in the same way. He concludes he is not buying the dust explanation and emphasizes the need for granular, well-planned execution. Speaker 0 thanks Sameer and Abhijit for their insights, acknowledging the balance between the mission’s audacity and the questions it raises, and notes the discussion is valuable for understanding what is being dealt with.

Robert O’Neill and the interviewer discuss the Maduro operation in Venezuela and the Bin Laden raid, comparing the two missions, the forces involved, and the broader implications for U.S. military capabilities and geopolitics. - The Maduro operation differed sharply from the Bin Laden raid in scope and risk. The Maduro mission involved an army base in Venezuela (their Pentagon) and a target in a house with a safe room. Chinese and Russian involvement and the presence of advanced air defenses complicated planning. The operation used a “gorilla package” with about 150 aircraft, whereas the Bin Laden raid used fewer assets and was characterized by a tighter ground package. The Maduro operation allowed for no-kill options and contingencies, but still entailed high risk; the Bin Laden raid was described as a one-way mission with a different risk profile. - The Maduro mission emphasized rapid execution, with the aim of capturing the president, his wife, and returning them to the United States within about 24 hours. The discussion highlights a distinction between kill options under the Venezuela operation and capture-focused goals for Maduro. - In contrast, the Bin Laden mission involved a ground assault with SEAL Team Six and an intense, fast breach. The initial breach attempts faced a crash of a helicopter, forcing adjustments, but the team proceeded to clear the house, enter the target, and locate Bin Laden. O’Neill described the movement through the compound as methodical: “If the guy in front of me went left, I went right,” continuing until Bin Laden was found and killed. - On the day of Bin Laden’s death, there were no casualties among U.S. operators on the ground; the operation produced an extensive recovery of material, including external hard drives, computers, disks, opium, and other items. The raid revealed Bin Laden was “running the whole thing from Pakistan,” raising questions about ISI knowledge and cross-border links. - The two tier-one units, Delta Force and SEAL Team Six, are both elite but have different primary focuses and traditions. Delta Force is described as older, largely Army-based, with emphasis on hostage rescue on land or in aircraft, and a selection that allows entry for those who prove themselves. SEAL Team Six is portrayed as capable across domains but with primary strength on maritime operations (e.g., the Captain Phillips raid). The discussion notes that both units share high standards for counterterrorism and special operations, and both have strong track records. - Operational differences in training and approach are highlighted. Delta’s emphasis on close-quarters battle and air operations is compared with SEAL Team Six’s maritime emphasis, yet both units are said to perform similar work in practice. Admiral William McRaven is credited with supporting and enabling SEAL Team Six and Delta to operate successfully during the Bin Laden and Maduro operations. The guest emphasizes that both teams perform with high effectiveness, noting the pilots as “unsung heroes” for their precise timing and reliability (plus or minus seconds). - The interview touches on the conditions and contingencies of planning: compartmentalization is discussed, with a preference for sharing enough information with operators on target to perform effectively, while preserving sensitive intelligence to prevent leaks. The Maduro operation allegedly involved strong inside information from Venezuelan sources, with a broader strategy that included leveraging internal actors who might seek power. - Leaks and doxxing are a recurring theme. The hosts discuss the ethics and consequences of releasing names or details about operators involved in these missions. Seth Harp’s reporting on the Maduro raid and the doxxing debate is discussed; the guest argues that doxxing can endanger families and operational security, while also acknowledging the journalist’s desire to be first. - The role of the helicopters and the risk of enemy fire are addressed. A Chinook helicopter was hit during Maduro, but did not crash; the squad subsequently extracted, illustrating the danger and resilience of mission planning. The Bin Laden raid included a helicopter crash incident that required a quick, adaptive response from the team. - The interviewee comments on geopolitical ramifications and future targets. The possibility of Iran being next is discussed; the guest argues that operations against Iran could be possible but would require careful political and strategic consideration and public messaging. The discussion also touches on perceptions of Russia and China, containment strategies, and the importance of democratic governance versus autocratic models in global affairs. - Final reflections include the evolution of the next generation of operators. The guest expresses optimism about the Gen Z cohorts in special operations, emphasizing merit-based selection, resilience, and morale. He concludes with gratitude for the teams involved and notes the personal impact of these operations on his life and career.

In this conversation, the speakers discuss a high-profile operation centered on Maduro’s kidnapping, its implications, and broader geopolitical consequences. - The operation to capture Maduro is described as not a regime change but an action intended to “hold off Maduro, get US control of the oil, and get China and Russia and Iran out.” A senior Venezuelan security official is identified as a full cooperator with the United States, allowing US forces to enter “the front door” with minimal resistance and no return fire. The plan reportedly involved a coordinated assault with Venezuelan forces, and while several air defenses were destroyed or not activated, most were not deployed due to a stand-down order. The operation did not replace the Venezuelan government; Maduro remained in power, at least for the moment. - For context on the execution, Speaker 1, who has experience scripting Delta Force and SEAL Team Six exercises, notes the mission took place in full moonlight (unusual for planned clandestine night operations). He claims the Venezuelan air defenses were substantial but largely avoided activation because of the stand-down order, enabling a seamless entry for US forces. He compares this to a counterterrorism exercise in the US years earlier—staged surveillance and pre-positioned access that eliminated obstacles in advance. - Casualties and aftermath are uncertain. There are conflicting reports on casualties among Cubans and Venezuelans, with no clear names or numbers yet confirmed. The operation involved collaboration with Venezuelan forces and did not topple the Maduro regime. - On the motive and internal dynamics, Speaker 1 suggests multiple potential actors within Maduro’s circle could have incentives to cooperate with the US, possibly including financial or visa-based incentives. The possibility of infiltrators within intelligence, military, or police is raised. The role of a specific senior official who allegedly ordered a stand-down is mentioned, though not named. - Questions about the rocket attack on a US chopper are raised, with speculation that it might have been a lone actor or a malfunction rather than a deliberate act by a large organized force. - The discussion turns to the interim president Delcy Rodríguez. While theories exist that she cooperated with the US, Speaker 1 says that the theory of her involvement is likely a cover story designed to divert attention from those actually involved. - The broader geopolitical frame emphasizes that this is not about regime change in Venezuela, but about oil access and limiting adversaries. The conversation suggests a recurring US strategy: remove Maduro, gain oil leverage, and push rivals like China, Russia, and Iran out of influence. The hypothesis includes using economic and political pressure and, if necessary, military options, while acknowledging the risk of drawing wider regional opposition and potential escalation. - The discussion then broadens to the US role in the multipolar order. The speakers debate whether the world is tilting toward a multipolar system or a reinforced US unipolar order. They agree that the reality is mixed: Russia and China are building a new international order with India and Brazil, while US actions—such as threats against Venezuela, arms packages to Taiwan, and support for Ukraine—signal both erosion of hegemony and attempts to sustain influence. - The Monroe Doctrine is critiqued. The speakers contend that the so-called Dunro Doctrine (a term they use to describe perceived US interference) misreads the historical framework. They argue that the Monroe Doctrine was never a proclamation of exclusive US dominance in the Western Hemisphere; instead, the US has historically faced resistance as other powers gain influence. - Iran and the Middle East are discussed at length. The twelve-day war (in reference to Iran’s confrontation with Israel) is described as not severely weakening Iran militarily, though it has economic and political strains. Iran’s allies (Russia, China) have become more engaged since sanctions relief began in September, and Iran has pursued stronger economic ties with both Russia and China, including a potential North–South Corridor. Iran reportedly rejected a mutual defense treaty with Russia initially but later pursued stronger cooperation after the conflict. Iran’s leadership is described as consolidating power and preparing for potential future conflicts, while the protests inside Iran are depicted as largely manufactured or at least amplified by Western intelligence networks, though there is genuine internal discontent over currency and economic conditions. - The panelists debate whether the US could or would attempt another targeted strike on Iranian leadership. They argue that the US would face greater risk and likely casualties if attempting a similar operation without a compatible insider network, making a repeat Maduro-like capture unlikely. - Final reflections acknowledge that the US’s global influence is eroding, but the US remains deeply involved in global affairs. The discussion ends with a cautionary stance toward US hegemonic assumptions and recognition of a rising multipolar framework in which China, Russia, and allied states exert greater influence in Latin America, the Middle East, and beyond.

Stanislav and Speaker 0 discuss a rapidly evolving, multi-front crisis that they argue is in its early days but already sprawling across the region and the global energy order. Key military and strategic points - The conflict has expanded from warnings into a broader destruction of regional economic infrastructure, extending from Israel to Iran. Israel began by hitting southern oil fields; Iran responded with attacks on oil and gas facilities and US bases, and warned it would strike “everywhere” including US bases if attacked again. - Iran’s stated aim includes purging the US from the Persian Gulf by destroying American bases and making hosting US forces prohibitively expensive. This has been coupled with actions that blinded US radars and pressured Gulf Arab states to expel the Americans. - Israel attacked infrastructure and a nuclear power plant associated with Russia’s project; Israel’s destruction of oil infrastructure and oil fires contributed to a widespread environmental contamination event, with oil smoke and carcinogenic particulates dispersing over Central Asia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Northern India, and potentially further. - The war is generating cascading economic damage, including a potential long-term hit to energy supply chains. The speaker who has oil-industry experience (Speaker 1) explains that refinery expansions and LNG projects involve complex, lengthy supply chains and custom equipment; extensive damage means years, not months, to recover, with LNG output potentially 20%–30% lower for Europe, and cascading effects on fertilizer supplies and food production. - European energy and fertilizer dependencies are stressed: Russia supplies a large share of chemical fertilizer; Europe could face severe energy and food crises, while the US appears more flexible on sanctions and fertilizer sourcing. - On the military side, there is discussion of a possible ground invasion by US forces, including the 82nd Airborne (as part of the XVIII Airborne Corps) and Marines. The analysis emphasizes the daunting difficulty of any cross-border operation into Iran or even taking forward positions in the Strait of Hormuz or on nearby islands. The speaker argues that the 80th/82nd Airborne’s capabilities are limited (light infantry, no back-up armor), making large-scale incursions extremely costly and unlikely to achieve strategic objectives (e.g., seizing enriched uranium on Kare Island). The argument stresses that “mission impossible” scenarios would yield heavy casualties and limited gains, especially given Iran’s mountainous terrain, entrenched defense, and pervasive drone threat. - Kare Island (Hormuz Strait) is described as highly vulnerable to drone swarms. FPV drones, longer-range drones, and loitering munitions could intercept or complicate the deployment of troops, supply lines, and casualty evacuation. Even with air superiority, drones combined with coastal defenses could make an island seizure a “turkey shoot” for Iran unless ground troops can be rapidly reinforced and sustained against a rising drone threat. - The role of drones is emphasized: drones of various sizes, including small FPV systems and larger retranslated-signal drones, could operate from Iranian coastlines to disrupt coastlines such as Kare Island and other Hormuz approaches. The talk highlights how drones complicate casualty evacuation, medical triage, and resupply, and how air assets (helicopters, Ospreys) are vulnerable to drone attacks. Nuclear and regional deterrence questions - Enriched uranium: Iran reportedly has around 60% enrichment; 90% would be necessary for weapons, which could provide a deterrent or escalation leverage. The possibility of nuclear weapons remains a major concern in the discussion. - Fatwas and leadership: The new supreme leader in Iran could alter policy on nuclear weapons; there is debate about whether Iran would actually pursue a weapon given its political culture and regional risk. Regional and international dynamics - The role of Russia and China: The discussion suggests the US is being leveraged by adversaries through proxy relationships, with Russia and China potentially supporting Iran as a way to undermine US influence and the Western-led order. - Regime and leadership dynamics in the US: Speaker 1 predicts intense internal political pressure in the US, including potential civil unrest if casualties rise and if policies become unsustainable. There is skepticism about the willingness of US political leadership to sustain a protracted conflict or a ground invasion. Recent events and forward-facing notes - A ballistic missile strike on southern Israel and simultaneous missile salvos from Iran were reported during the interview; there were also reports of air-defense interceptions near Dubai. - The discussion closes with warnings about the potential for catastrophic outcomes, including a nuclear meltdown risk if nuclear facilities are struck in ways that disable cooling or power systems, and emphasizes the fragility of the current strategic balance as this crisis unfolds.

God is good. He's alive. Go get our boy. One American behind enemy lines. Wounded, surrounded. We bring him home. Viper one two, hang in there. We're coming. Coming in danger close. Keep your heads down. Colonel, let's go home. Package secure. Heading to extract. Rapid hard.

Reflecting on the mission, there were loud noises that may have spooked the captors into hiding the hostages in a tunnel. After receiving a call for planning help, I quickly prepared to join the operation. We faced delays but eventually jumped into the target area, aiming to rescue two kidnapped professors. Anticipating a tough fight, we approached cautiously. Upon reaching the target, we found five males sleeping but confirmed they weren't the hostages. I made the difficult decision to eliminate them to protect my team. Unfortunately, the hostages were not there, leading to a failed rescue. Despite the stress and moral weight of my actions, the team discussed the mission afterward, and I returned to my duties, still grappling with the implications of that night.

The discussion centers on the recent F-15 incident, the rescue operation, and what the events reveal about U.S. plans and Iranian defenses. The hosts note a flood of misinformation but lay out what they consider to be known elements: several U.S. aircraft were downed or destroyed, and the situation includes a complex, high-stakes rescue of a downed pilot. Scott Ritter, a former UN weapons inspector, is brought in to explain what happened and why. He suggests there was a larger mission at work behind the F-15E downing. He explains that the aircraft involved often place a colonel in the weapons systems seat as mission commander, implying this was part of a broader air component operation rather than a simple single-aircraft strike. He emphasizes that the F-15E’s ejection sequence could involve a rear-seat officer exiting first if the mission is large, and notes that a malfunction or timing could affect ejection sequences and distances from the crash site. Ritter argues that Iran has reconstituted its air defenses after prior U.S. and Israeli operations and is relying more on electro-optical and infrared guidance rather than radar-guided missiles. This shift makes U.S. standoff weapons less effective and increases vulnerability to close-in air defenses. He notes that the Iranians were able to hit U.S. aircraft, including an F-35 and an A-10, and asserts that the downing of the F-15E was not just luck but a sign of Iran’s growing capability. On the rescue, Ritter details the sequence after two HH-60 Pave Hawk CSAR helicopters were shot down or rendered nonflyable, necessitating a Plan B. He describes a standard CSAR package with two MC-130 aircraft and four AH-6/MH-6 Little Bird helicopters as a typical arrangement. He explains that, in this case, three additional aircraft configured to carry Little Birds were used because the original CSAR birds were compromised. He asserts that Navy SEALs from SEAL Team Six flew on the mission and that Delta Force personnel were involved, with ground security roles for airfield protection. The aim was to extract the downed pilot and begin recovery operations despite Iranian interference. A key element Ritter highlights is the decision to rely on an airfield survey to determine whether the improvised field could support the mission. He claims that the airfield survey was not possible in time and that intelligence from Israel had to suffice to deem the field usable for MC-130 operations. He alleges that the field’s front gear sank into wet sand, trapping one or both MC-130s during takeoff—forcing a rapid shift to lighter aircraft and offloading to three C-295-type aircraft, which allowed the rescue to proceed but resulted in the destruction of the heavy aircraft and many mission-critical assets to deny Iran access to sensitive equipment. Ritter also contends that the mission had dual objectives: rescue of the pilot and a planned operation against Isfahan involving uranium hexafluoride feedstock, potentially a U.S. effort to seize nuclear material and declare a victory over Iran’s program. He suggests the media leak that the backseater was not rescued forced a retasking of the operation, undermining that broader plan and prompting a retreat from Isfahan-related aims. He asserts that the Iranians closing in on the retasked plan signaled the end of the uranium raid, framing the outcome as a mixed result: the pilot was saved, but significant assets were lost. The discussion touches on CIA involvement and the trust between JSOC and the CIA, noting past tensions and the use of other intelligence channels. Ritter asserts that Israel provides valuable on-the-ground intelligence but cautions that overreliance on outside intelligence can be problematic. He questions why the president publicly framed the mission as a victory and raises questions about decision-making and potential political considerations driving the operation. In closing, Ritter emphasizes remaining questions: why the operation proceeded in a way that exposed heavy aircraft to Iranian defenses, how long U.S. assets could have sustained a high-risk operation, and how the political narrative of victory aligns with the actual military risks and losses. He concludes that while the rescue succeeded, the broader Isfahan uranium plan appears to be off the table, and the overall mission reflects a complex, high-stakes balance of intelligence, timing, and strategic objectives.

Following unprecedented strikes against Iran's nuclear enrichment sites in Isfahan, Fordo, and Natanz, three B-2 bombers were involved, each carrying two 15-ton bunker-busting bombs. A flight of B-2s flew east, likely three of them, and annihilated Fordow's, likely destroying Iran's nuclear enrichment program. A separate flight of six B-2 bombers flew west over the Pacific, refueling over Hawaii, but these were decoys. Thirty Tomahawks were fired from a sub. President Trump has made clear for eleven years that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon, and tonight, he enforced it.

Iran's nuclear ambitions are officially dead after the United States obliterated Iran's top secret Fordo nuclear facility with five to six bunker buster bombs dropped from America's stealth B2 bombers. Two other major Iranian nuclear sites, Natanz and Estevan, were wiped out with 30 Tomahawk missiles launched by American submarines some 400 miles away. Everyone is out of harm's way for now, but American assets in the region are still at risk, and the Iranian response is being monitored.

Larry Johnson and the host discuss the extraordinary and escalating tensions around Iran, the Middle East, and the United States’ role in the region. - The guests reference recent remarks by Donald Trump about Iran, noting Trump’s statement that Iran has until Tuesday to reach a deal or “I am blowing up everything,” with a quoted line describing Tuesday as “power plant day and bridge day all wrapped up in one in Iran,” followed by “open the fucking straight, you crazy bastards or you’ll be living in hell.” They describe this rhetoric as madness and suggest the rhetoric signals a potential for a severe U.S. action. - They contrast Trump’s stated plan with the capabilities and willingness of the U.S. military, arguing there are three distinct elements: what Trump wants to do, what the U.S. military can do, and what the U.S. military is willing to do. They discuss a hypothetical ground operation targeting Iran, including possible actions such as striking Natanz or a nuclear-related site, and potentially hitting a “underground missile factory” at Kesheveh, while acknowledging the risk and uncertainty of such plans. - The conversation details a Friday event in which a U.S. F-15 was shot down, and the implications for the broader operation: A-10 Warthog, F-16s, two Black Hawk helicopters (Pave Hawks), and two C-130s were reportedly lost, with speculation about additional losses. They discuss the Pentagon’s statements about casualties and the possibility that other aircraft losses were connected to a rescue attempt for a downed pilot. They estimate several U.S. airframes lost in the effort to recover one pilot and discuss the high costs and risks of attempting CSAR (combat search and rescue). - The speakers reflect on the status of U.S. combat leadership and the debates surrounding purges of senior officers. One guest emphasizes that the fired leaders (Hodney and Randy George) were not operational decision-makers for Iran and argues the purge appears political rather than war-related, describing it as part of a broader pattern of politicization of the senior ranks. - They discuss the Israeli war effort, noting significant strain from Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and questions about Israel’s manpower and reserve mobilization. They mention reports that 300,000 reservists have been activated and talk of an additional 400,000 being considered. The discussion touches on claims that Israel is attacking Iranian negotiating participants and how the U.S. could be drawn into a broader conflict. They critique the Israeli military’s leadership structure, arguing that young officers with limited experience lead a reserve-based force, which they view as contributing to questionable battlefield performance. - The Iranian strategy is analyzed as aiming to break U.S. control in the Persian Gulf and to compel adversaries to negotiate by threatening or constraining energy flows. The guests detail Iran’s actions: targeting oil facilities and ports around Haifa and Tel Aviv, Damona (near the suspected nuclear sites), and claims of missiles hitting a major building in Haifa. They describe widespread civilian disruption in Israel (bomb shelters, subway tents) and emphasize the vulnerability of Israel given its manpower challenges and reliance on U.S. and Western support. - The broader strategic landscape is assessed: Iran’s goal to control the Gulf and oil, with potential consequences for global energy markets, shipping costs, and the international economy. They discuss how Iran’s actions may integrate with China and Russia, including potential shifts in currency use (yuan) for trade and new financial arrangements, such as Deutsche Bank offering Chinese bonds. - They discuss the economic and geopolitical ripple effects beyond the battlefield: rising U.S. fuel prices (gas increasing sharply in parts of the U.S., including Florida), potential airline disruptions, and the broader risk to European energy security as sanctions and alternative energy pathways come under stress. They note that Europe’s energy strategies and alliances may be forced to adapt, potentially shifting energy flows to China or Russia, and the possibility of Europe’s economy suffering from disrupted energy supplies. - Toward the end, the speakers acknowledge the difficulty of stopping escalation and the need for major powers to negotiate new terms for the post-unipolar order. They caution that reconciliations are unlikely in the near term, warning of the potential for a broader conflict if leaders do not find a path away from continued escalation. They close with a somewhat pessimistic view, acknowledging that even if the war ends soon, the economic ramifications will be long-lasting. They joke that, at minimum, they’ll have more material to discuss next week, given Trump’s actions.

The discussion centers on the U.S. military's capability to penetrate deeply buried targets, described as potentially 200-300 feet underground, despite some reports suggesting depths of 1,000 feet. The scenario is compared to the plot of the latest Top Gun movie, involving multiple bombs to achieve penetration. A former Top Gun instructor and retired US Marine Corps officer, David Burke, confirms the feasibility of this operation. He states that no cave is deep enough to defend against the American military if it needs to strike it. He also affirms the accuracy of the description of the weapon system and aircraft involved, emphasizing that while it's a difficult challenge, it is solvable with the described system.

Following unprecedented strikes against Iran's nuclear enrichment sites in Isfahan, Fordo, and Natanz, it's reported that three B-2 bombers were involved, each carrying two 15-ton bunker-busting bombs. A flight of B-2s flying west over the Pacific and refueling over Hawaii at 11 PM were likely decoys. Another flight of three B-2s flew east, annihilated Fordow, and likely destroyed Iran's nuclear enrichment program. Thirty Tomahawks were fired from a submarine. President Trump has made clear for eleven years that Iran will not have a nuclear weapon, and tonight, he enforced it.

During a rapid tactical exchange, the crew issues commands: 'Put on side war off. Make it loud.' 'This is a Romeo fucking fraud. Shall we dance?' They move to assess the area and say, 'Down and check it out.' A grid reference is given: 'Six four one zero.' They report, 'We're over the village right now,' and search for targets, noting, 'I think I see a vehicle down in the courtyard. I'm gonna check it out.' After-action praise is offered: 'Well done, Hawks. Well done.' The sequence ends with a tactical cue: 'Once a 20 Mike Mike Vulcan right along those tree lines.'

Intelligence warnings indicate Iran may target Al Udeid, the largest US air base in the Middle East, with missiles or drones. Embassies in Doha have ordered evacuations and shelter-in-place protocols, suggesting an imminent threat. Satellite images show the US moved unhangered aircraft from Al Udeid last week. The US operation involved seven B-2 bombers from Missouri, plus two decoy bombers over the Pacific. 125 US warplanes, including F-22s and F-35s, escorted the strike. Six B-2s dropped twelve massive ordnance penetrator bombs on Fordow, and a seventh B-2 dropped two 30,000-pound bombs on Natanz. 30 Tomahawk missiles from a submarine hit Isfahan. Officials estimate the strike set back Iran's nuclear program by one to two years, but the location of 900 pounds of highly enriched uranium is unknown. A retaliatory strike from Iran is expected, potentially sooner than the ten days it took after Soleimani's death in 2020. Troops and embassy personnel have been dispersed, and families sent home. Airspace above Al Udeid is closed.

Speaker 0: Nearly two weeks into this conflict, the official story is cracking, and the number of Americans wounded is slowly coming out. Yesterday, we reported based on our sources that the number of American wounded was at least one hundred and thirty seven. After our report ran, the Pentagon has now publicly acknowledged about one hundred and forty wounded. That confirms our sources on this. So why did it take a little news show like ours to report this information? Why wasn't Fox News reporting this information? The Pentagon I know it's really weird. Why is the mainstream media silent on this? The Pentagon finally comes out and actually admits to this. Speaker 1: Reuters comes out and reports this. Exclusive. As many as one hundred and fifty US troops wounded so far in Iran war. They just published this today, this morning. March 10. That's remarkable. Exclusive. Just curious how that's an exclusive when we reported it yesterday. Yesterday. Whatever. Hey, Reuters. Bite me. Anyway, this war is clearly not winding down no matter what the messaging says. President Trump is saying the war could end very soon. But Iran says talks with The United States are off the table for now. Tehran is prepared to keep striking as long as it takes. And they're vowing an eye for an eye. So what is an eye for an eye actually mean? Does it mean you hey, you killed our leader. We kill yours? Does it mean, hey, you killed all these girls who were the daughters of members of the the Iranian Navy at a girls school, do we also do that to you? Like, what is actually does that look like? Speaker 0: Does it mean we took out your water infrastructures or you took out ours? So we do that. Right. Your gas infrastructure, civilian infrastructure, that's that's a war crime. But we did it. Your oil infrastructure, we do that. Like, what exactly does that look like? Meanwhile, the Strait Of Hormuz is getting worse by the minute. US intelligence tracking Iranian mine laying threats now as Gulf energy infrastructure there is taking a major hit with about 1,900,000 barrels per day of refining capacity across Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and The UAE. All down. CBS now says shipping through the Strait Of Hormuz has ground to a virtual halt. Nothing getting through. That's of just a few minutes ago. And Israel's hammering Beirut's southern suburbs and Lebanon. So they've essentially invaded Lebanon. Speaker 2: And then there's the neocon political class in Washington saying the quiet part out loud. Senator Lindsey Graham is now openly talking about, you know, going back to South Carolina to tell the sons and daughters in South Carolina, you know, you gotta send your loved ones to the Middle East. That's what I'm doing here in South Carolina. I gotta tell them to go fight in the Middle East, and he's calling on other Middle East countries that have been sitting on the fence that we've supported over the years as allies. Get off the fence. Go bomb Iran. Help out with Iran. And, oh, by the way, Spain, we're pissed off at you because you don't want us using your air bases or airspace to bomb Iran. Listen. Speaker 0: To our allies step up, get our air bases out of Spain. They're not reliable. Move all those airplanes to a country that would let us use them when we're threatened by a regime like Iran. To our friends in Spain, man, you have lost your way. I don't wanna do business with you anymore. I want our air bases our air bases out of Spain into a country that will let us use them. To our Arab friends, I've tried to help you construct a new Mideast. You need to up your game here. I can't go to South Carolina and say we're fighting and you won't publicly fight. What you're doing behind the scenes, that has to stop. The double dealing of the Arab world when it comes to this stuff needs to end. I go back to South Carolina. I'm asking them to send their sons and daughters over to the Mideast. What I want you to do in The Mideast to our friends in Saudi Arabia and other places, step forward and say this is my fight too. I join America. I'm publicly involved in bringing this regime down. If you don't, you're making a great mistake, and you're gonna cut off the ability to have a better relationship with The United States. I say this as a friend. Speaker 1: Ugh. He's an odious friend. Speaker 0: Say this as a friend. Speaker 3: With friends pick up a gun and go fight yourself, you coward. Yeah. I freaking hate that. But you're calling so, like, bluntly for somebody else to go die for his stupid cause. Speaker 0: Yeah. Speaker 1: I am so curious about this. I mean, he's a liar. But how many people in South Carolina are really walking up to him and saying, who are we gonna get to fight with us? Who are we gonna get to fight Iran? Worried about this. My son can go, but who's going with him? Let's make some war playdates. Who does that? Speaker 0: Larry Johnson is a former CIA analyst, NRA gun trainer, and, he's been looking at all of this and doing some incredible writing over at his website, Sonar twenty one. Larry, thank you for joining us. Great to see you back on the show. Speaker 4: Hi, guys. Good to see you. Speaker 0: So I wanna talk about the American war wounded first because Mhmm. I know that this is, near and dear to your heart and, of course, something that you've been watching, closely. And the lies, of course, that are coming out about this. Again, I spoke to sources over the past forty eight hours that were telling us here at Redacted about 137 Americans wounded. Then the Pentagon comes out and then confirms about a hundred and forty. So right pretty much right on the nose. And does that number sound low to you? Or does that sound about right? Speaker 4: That sounds a little low. So on March 4, let's go to Germany. Stuttgart, just North West of Germany, there is a hospital called Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. Landstuhl's primary mission is to handle American war wounded. On March 4, they issued a memo telling all the pregnant women that were about to give birth that, sorry, don't come here. We're not birthing any more babies. We gotta focus on our main mission. So that was the first clue that there was there were a lot of casualties inbound. I know, without mentioning his name, somebody who was involved dealing with the combat casualties during the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and he dealt with the personnel at Lunstul. And he called someone up and said, can't say anything, but there's a lot of casualties. Then 13 miles to the east of Landstuhl is an army base called Kaiserslautern. Kaiserslautern and the Stars and Stripes issued for that base had an appeal, a blood drive appeal. Hey. We need lots of people to show up and donate blood. So those that was on March 5. So I wrote about this March 6. So I wrote about this four days ago, that, yeah, we had a lot more casualties, and there are more coming, because Iran's not gonna stop. You know, right now, we're getting signals that the Trump administration is reaching out, trying, oh, hey, let's talk, let's talk cease fire. Iran's having none of it. They've been betrayed twice by Donald Trump and his group of clowns. Speaker 0: Right. Speaker 4: You know? And and so they're not ready to say no. No. They've got the world, by the testicles is the polite way of saying it, withholding the Strait Of Hormuz. They've shut down the movement of not only oil, liquid natural gas. They're the supplier of about 25%, 25 to 30% of the world's liquid natural gas, and, about 30%, 30 to 35% of the world's urea, which is used for fertilizer. Now, that may not I just learned that that may not be as important as I once thought it was because most of it comes out of Oman. Oman, you don't have to worry about things going through the Strait Of Hormuz. But on oil and liquid natural gas, huge. 94% of The Philippines depended upon the flow of gas, both liquid and the petroleum oil, out of the Persian Gulf. India, 80%. Japan, South Korea. So this is gonna have a major impact on certain economies in the world. Now there there I I I've said this ironically. I I think Vladimir Putin's sitting there going, maybe Donald Trump really does like me, because what he's done is he's making Russia rich again in a way I mean, they're getting, you know, they were selling they were forced to sell their oil previously under sanctions at, like, $55 a barrel. Now they're getting $88.90 dollars a barrel. Well, and they just opened it up to India. I mean, that story over the past forty eight hours, like, so they The United States has eased its restriction on Russian oil flowing to India. I mean, talk about an absolute disaster. Speaker 4: Well, yeah. And remember what had happened there is India was playing a double game too. You know, bricks India is the I in bricks, and Iran is the new I in bricks. And so what was India doing? Well, India was pretending to play along with The United States, but then going to Russia and saying, hey, Russia. Yeah. We'll buy we'll buy your oil, but we needed a discount because we're going against the sanctions, and we need to cover ourselves. So Russia said, okay. As a BRICS partner, we'll let you have for $55 barrel. So they got a discount. So now when all of a sudden the the the oil tap is turned off, including the liquid natural gas, India goes running back to Russia. Now remember, on, February 25-26, India was in Israel buttering up the rear end of BB, Net, and Yahoo, kissing rear end all they could. Oh, man. It was a love fest. We're partners with Israel. And then Israel attacks their BRICS partner. And what does India say? Nothing. Zero. They don't say a thing about the murdered girls. So now all of a sudden, the oil's turned off. It's nine days now with no oil coming out of there for India. They go running back to Russia. Hey, buddy. Let's let's get back together. And Russia says, sure. That's great. But it's gonna cost you $89 now a barrel. No more friends and family program. Gonna get market conditions. Speaker 0: We've had many journalist friends that have had their bank accounts shut down. We were literally in the middle of an interview with a great journalist from the gray zone who found out that his banking was just shut down. Literally, in the middle of an interview, he got a message that his banking was shut down. Well, Rumble Wallet prevents that, because Rumble can't even touch it. No one can touch it. Rumble Wallet lets you control your money, not a bank, not a government, not a tech company, not even Rumble can touch it. It's yours, only yours, yours to protect your future and your family. You can buy and save digital assets like Bitcoin, Tether Gold, and now the new USA USA app USAT, which is Tether's US regulated stablecoin all in one place. Tether Gold is real gold on the blockchain with ownership of physical gold bars, and USAT keeps your money steady against inflation. No banks needed. It's not only a wallet to buy and save, but it also allows you to support your favorite creators by easily tipping them if you want with the click of a button. There'll be no fees when you tip our channel or others, and we actually receive the tip instantly unlike other platforms where we have to wait for payouts. So support our show today and other creators by clicking the tip button on our Rumble channel. Speaker 1: Now I wanna ask you about president Trump responding to CBS News reports that there may be mines in the Strait Of Hormuz. That doesn't make a ton of sense. He says we have no indication that they did, but they better not. But they are picking and choosing who gets to go through, and their allies can go through. So why would they mine their allies? What do we make of this? Do we need to respond to this at all? Speaker 4: Yeah. I don't think they've done it yet. But let's recall the last time Iran mined the Persian Gulf. They didn't mine the Strait Of Hormuz. They mined farther up. It was 1987, 1988. Why did they do that? Well, in September 1980, when Jimmy Carter and Zbigniew Brzezinski were still in office, The United States encouraged a guy named Saddam Hussein, don't know if you've ever heard of him, but they encouraged Saddam Hussein to launch a war against Iran. And then Ronald Reagan comes in with Donald Rumsfeld and Cap Weinberger, and by 1983 had provided chemical weapons, or the precursors that Iraq needed to build chemical weapons, and Iraq started using chemical weapons against Iran in 1983 and continued to do it in '84, 85, 86. During that entire time, Iran never retaliated with chemical weapons. They were not going because they saw it as an act against God. They were serious about the religion. So 'eighty seven, 'eighty eight, they start dropping mines there in the Persian Gulf. Well, at that time, they didn't have all these missiles, so the United States Navy, a Navy SEAL, a good friend of mine, set up what was called the Hercules barge, and he had a Navy SEAL unit with him, and they fought off attacks by Iranian gunboats. He had some Little Bird helicopters from the one sixtieth, the special operations wing of the Air Force. And but we ended up disrupting the Iranian plan to mine The Gulf back then. Well, we couldn't do that today. We do not have that capability because Iran would blow us out of the water with drones and with missiles. You as we've seen, it's been happening over the last ten days. So United States would be in a real pickle. Speaker 1: And especially given the rhetoric of US war hawks in power for three decades. Like Yeah. Yes. They kind of had to prepare all of this time. Did we think that they weren't paying attention when we said it to the world? Speaker 4: Well, when we're writing our own press clippings and then reading them, there is a tendency to say, god, I am great. Can you see this? How good we are? And so they really believed that our air def the Patriot air defense systems and the THAAD systems would be they they could shut down the Iranian missiles and drones. And what they discovered was, nope. They didn't work. And they worked at an even lower level than the you know, Pentagon kept foul. We're shooting down 90%.

Speaker 0 reports that while attention was on US aircraft carriers, China quietly broke the air blockade in Asia over the past forty-eight hours. The claim is that 16 Chinese Y-20 military cargo planes took off, then vanished from radar, turning their transponders off and flying completely dark. Their destination is stated as Iran. According to multiple intel sources cited in the transcript, what these planes carried was not food or humanitarian aid but advanced electronic warfare systems. The systems are described as the kind built to blind US carrier-based F-35 jets. The assertion is that China may have provided Iran with technology to jam American aircraft right in the middle of the Persian Gulf standoff. The sequence is summarized as: 16 aircraft, zero radio signals, and a full airborne supply chain delivered under America’s nose. The transcript emphasizes the supposed significance of this development, suggesting that if true, the balance of power over the Middle East could have shifted without widespread notice. The final framing centers on the potential implications: the real question posed is what action the United States will take next, given the alleged delivery of electronic warfare capability to Iran and the covert nature of the operation. The account stresses that this development allegedly occurred while global attention was focused on US aircraft carriers, implying it represents a strategic surprise with potentially far-reaching consequences for regional and global security dynamics.

The speaker notes the operation's exceptional security, unseen in their 18 years at the Pentagon, with a complete information lockdown and empty hallways. Information is coming directly from the White House. Flight trackers indicated B2 takeoffs, but the timing was unexpected. The waning crescent moon provided ideal dark conditions for the bombing. B2s require escort due to their value and the possibility of Iranian response. Only the US military possesses the capability to execute such an operation, specifically targeting three uranium enrichment sites in Iran. The operation occurred within the two-week timeframe indicated by the president, announced via Truth Social with minimal leaks.

On presidential orders, US Central Command executed Operation Midnight Hammer, a strike against three Iranian nuclear facilities. The mission involved B-2 bombers launched from the US, with a portion acting as a decoy. The main strike package of seven B-2s executed in-flight refuelings and linked with escort aircraft. A US submarine launched over two dozen Tomahawk missiles at Esfahan. Deception tactics, including decoys and fourth and fifth-generation aircraft, were employed. The strike package was supported by multiple US commands. At 6:40 PM EST, the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 massive ordnance penetrator weapons on Fordow, with a total of 14 dropped on two nuclear target areas. All three targets were struck between 6:40 PM and 7:05 PM EST. Initial battle damage assessments indicate severe damage and destruction. Over 125 US aircraft participated, and approximately 75 precision-guided weapons were used. Force protection measures were elevated in the region, and US forces are prepared for potential Iranian retaliation. The operation demonstrated the US military's global reach and capabilities.