Iran’s oil sector is facing mounting pressure as the United States&#8217; blockade chokes off its energy exports, forcing the regime into a series of risky decisions that could have lasting consequences on a critical lifeline of its economy.
The United States has continued to pressure Iran to negotiate, but the regime has rejected President Donald Trump’s conditions on its nuclear program and is now demanding the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz as a precondition for broader talks, while signaling it plans to assert control over the waterway.
“Those foreigners from thousands of kilometers away, who are greedily carrying out transgressions in the Persian Gulf and Sea of Oman, have no place here except at the bottom of its waters,” Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said in a Thursday statement. “Iran&#8217;s new management of the Strait of Hormuz and the corresponding legal framework will secure comfort and progress for the benefit of all the nations of the region.”
Experts say Tehran’s options are narrowing: use the oil domestically, store it, or shut down production. None are particularly attractive, and each carries its own costs — especially shutdowns, which can permanently reduce how much oil wells can produce when brought back online.
“Their storage is getting full, so it is not a question of if they&#8217;re going to have to start to curtail production, it&#8217;s a question of when,” Dustin Meyer, senior vice president of policy, economics, and regulatory affairs at the American Petroleum Institute, told The Daily Wire.
Since the outbreak of the conflict in late February, 58 Iranian oil loadings — 35 from Kharg Island — have <a href="https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/blog/iran-war-shipping-update-april-30-2026">reportedly</a> been tracked, representing roughly 72 million barrels and more than $5 billion in revenue for the regime.
During active fighting with the United States, but before the blockade, Iran continued exporting oil through its illicit ghost fleet. Shipments averaged about 2.1 million barrels per day between April 1 and April 13, in line with pre-war levels, but fell to roughly 567,000 barrels per day after the blockade took hold, according to <a href="https://www.unitedagainstnucleariran.com/blog/iran-war-shipping-update-april-30-2026">The Wall Street Journal</a>.
As of Thursday, U.S. Central Command said 44 commercial vessels had been directed to turn around or return to port as part of the blockade.
According to Meyer, the risks tied to shutting down production are not just economic, but technical. Curtailing output can cause long-term damage to oil wells, depending on several factors, including the well’s age, pressure of the reservoir, and pace of the shutdown.
“As a general matter, the older the well, the lower the pressure, and the quicker the shutdown, the higher the risk of damage to the well in the near term as well as the ability to bring that well back to the production levels that it was before the shutdown,” he said. 
Meyer explained that oil wells rely on a delicate internal balance of oil, gas, and water, as well as stable pressure. If production is cut too aggressively, that balance can be disrupted, making the effects long-lasting.
“If it’s an old well with low pressure and it was shut down very quickly, then the timeline for bringing it back online is much longer and the risk of permanent damage is very real,” Meyer said, noting that wells often return but with reduced output levels.
As storage capacity tightens, Iran has begun turning to improvised solutions to manage excess crude. The regime has explored alternative export routes, including limited overland shipments by rail to China, while increasingly relying on floating <a href="http://storage.as/">storage</a>.
The regime’s desperation was evident when it reactivated a derelict 30-year-old tanker, the Nasha, which had been sitting idle for years before being repurposed to store oil offshore. According to UANI, satellite imagery showed the vessel loading crude from a jetty on the western side of Kharg Island on April 26 before departing days later.
The tanker is estimated to provide only a day or two of additional storage. According to <a href="https://www.kpler.com/blog/us-blockade-iran-starts-feeling-the-heat">Kpler</a>, Iran may have roughly 20 days of usable storage remaining before it is forced to cut production.
According to Charlie Brown, a senior advisor to United Against Nuclear Iran, the Trump Administration&#8217;s pressure campaign is effectively targeting the regime.
“The regime’s economic vulnerability is far greater than its public messaging suggests,&#8221; Brown told The Daily Wire.&#8221;
Iran’s economy is overwhelmingly dependent on oil export revenue and sustained maritime pressure is now constraining both exports and storage capacity at the same time.&#8221;
Brown warned the regime will face increasing difficulty sustaining its economic model.
“Iran can endure economic pain for a considerable period, but it cannot indefinitely sustain a wartime economy if oil revenues remain severely disrupted and Chinese buyers become more cautious about exposure to sanctions or interdiction risk,” he said. 
Despite the mounting strain, Iran has experience navigating similar situations. When the Trump administration intensified its sanctions campaign in 2018, Iranian oil exports effectively dropped to zero for months. The country managed the disruption without significant long-term damage to its production capacity and was able to ramp output back up to pre-sanctions levels once restrictions were lifted, according to an industry expert.
“I do think there is an unfortunate reality here that the Iranians do have experience managing their portfolio of wells during periods of fluctuating exports, and that might be an argument that they have the ability to manage this for longer than some people would expect,” the expert said.
While ordinary Iranians have long endured economic hardship, Brown said the current pressure campaign strikes more directly at the regime itself by threatening its ability to fund “regional military activities, internal repression apparatus, and patronage networks under prolonged export disruption.” 
And if the regime continues to put pressure on its own population, Jonathan Schanzer, executive director of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said it risks a reaction from its own people. 
“The Iranian people have endured an enormous amount of financial hardship over the last four-plus decades,” he said. “The regime risks triggering another uprising. The signs for such a renewed protest movement are already blinking red after the 40-day war, and the protests that preceded it. There is no way to know when any of this bubbles over.”

Mojtaba Khamenei poker

How Iran’s Blockade Gamble Could Compromise Its Oil Sector

Iran

Mojtaba Khamenei

Operation Epic Fury

President Donald Trump has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 U.S. troops from Germany, scaling back America&#8217;s military presence in Europe to levels seen before Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
“The Secretary of War has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany,” Chief Pentagon Spokesman Sean Parnell said. “This decision follows a thorough review of the Department’s force posture in Europe and is in recognition of theater requirements and conditions on the ground. We expect the withdrawal to be completed over the next six to twelve months.”
The move comes after months of criticism from Trump, who has accused NATO allies of failing to support U.S. operations against the Iranian regime and efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which he says Europe relies on more heavily.
Trump has described the 32-member NATO alliance as a “paper tiger” and a “one-way street.”
He has also been in a public feud with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, accusing him of downplaying the threat posed by Iran and warning that such positions could have serious global consequences.
“The Chancellor of Germany… thinks it’s OK for Iran to have a Nuclear Weapon. He doesn’t know what he’s talking about!” Trump posted on social media on Tuesday, adding that if Iran obtained such a weapon, “the whole World would be held hostage.”
Merz had earlier accused Iran of stalling negotiations and humiliating the United States.
A senior Defense Department official told The Daily Wire that the troop reduction reflects the administration&#8217;s frustration with European allies.
“The Europeans have not stepped up when America needed them. This cannot be a one-way street,” a senior Department of War official told The Daily Wire. “The President has been very clear about his frustrations about our allies’ rhetoric and failure to provide support for U.S. operations that benefit them.”
The official added that the president is directly reacting to German rhetoric, which has been “inappropriate and unhelpful.”
The withdrawal will primarily affect a brigade combat team and other forces stationed in Germany. It also halts a planned deployment of a long-range fires battalion that had been scheduled to arrive later this year under a Biden-era plan.
Officials said the directive takes effect immediately, though details about the specific units and movement timelines remain limited.
 The decision is part of a broader strategic realignment focused on the homeland, Western Hemisphere, and Indo-Pacific, while restoring readiness across the military, particularly within the Army.
It would also bring U.S. troop levels in Europe closer to pre-2022 levels, before forces surged in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, a buildup, officials emphasized, that was always intended to be temporary.
“The President’s decision also sends a very clear signal about how important it is for Germany and other allies to take primary responsibility for Europe’s defense,” the official said.
&nbsp;

NATO Summit In The Hague Final Day

Trump Pulls Troops From Europe And Sends ‘Allies’ Blunt Message: It’s A Two-Way Street

Donald Trump

Germany

NATO

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced that Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will travel to Pakistan on Saturday morning for another round of talks with Iranian representatives.
Leavitt said the discussions will be direct but facilitated by Pakistani intermediaries, whom she described as “incredible friends” throughout the negotiation process. According to Leavitt, Iranian officials requested the in-person meeting after President Donald Trump publicly called for talks.
“The president is dispatching Steve and Jared to go hear what they have to say,” Leavitt said. “We’re hopeful that it will be a productive conversation and hopefully move the ball forward toward a deal.”
The announcement comes as a second round of negotiations has yet to take place following lengthy talks earlier this month, which ended without an agreement after Iranian officials refused to concede on key aspects of their nuclear program.
Vice President JD Vance, who led the previous round of discussions, said at the time that the United States had presented what he described as its “final and best offer,” but Tehran declined to accept the terms.
According to <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/04/24/world/live-news/iran-war-trump-israel-lebanon?post-id=cmod2zf3l00003b6tid3t5lg4">CNN</a>, Vance is not expected to attend this latest round of talks because Mohammad-Bagher Ghalibaf, the speaker of Iran’s parliament and a senior figure seen by White House officials as leading Tehran’s delegation, is also not participating. Vance is expected to remain on standby and could travel to Islamabad if negotiations show signs of progress.
Despite not making a deal, Trump extended the two-week long ceasefire without an agreement while waiting for what he called a “unified” response from the Iranian government.
“President Trump has made his red lines throughout this entire process very clear. He was flexible in extending the ceasefire, and so Steve and Jared will be off,” Leavitt said.
The diplomatic push comes as Iran’s internal power structure appears increasingly unstable under the son and successor to former supreme leader Ali Khamenei.
The new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is reportedly recovering from severe injuries and has been largely sidelined from day-to-day governance while hardline military generals are holding significant power, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/burned-and-disfigured-irans-nepo-supreme-leader-needs-plastic-surgery?author=Kassy+Akiva&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Burned+And+Disfigured%3A+Iran%E2%80%99s+Nepo+Supreme+Leader+Needs+Plastic+Surgery">according to</a> a report from The New York Times.
Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi <a href="https://x.com/araghchi/status/2047685407941296331">confirmed</a> he is traveling to Islamabad as part of a broader “timely tour” that will also include stops in Muscat and Moscow. He said the purpose of the trip is to coordinate with regional partners and consult on ongoing developments.
The diplomatic push comes as Trump said Thursday he is in no rush to reach a deal.
“For those people, fewer in number now than ever before, that are reading The Failing New York Times, or watching Fake News CNN, that think that I am ‘anxious’ to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position. I have all the time in the World, but Iran doesn’t — The clock is ticking!” Trump said.
Trump also pointed to what he described as Iran’s deteriorating military position and the impact of the ongoing U.S. blockade, arguing that leverage remains firmly in Washington’s hands as negotiations continue.
“Iran’s Navy is lying at the bottom of the Sea, their Air Force is demolished, their Anti Aircraft and Radar Weaponry is gone, their leaders are no longer with us, the Blockade is airtight and strong and, from there, it only gets worse — Time is not on their side!” he added.

Trump Monitors Military Operations at White House

All Eyes On Islamabad As High-Stakes U.S.-Iran Peace Talks Ramp Up

Global Politics

Jared Kushner

Pakistan

Politics

Steve Witkoff

As the risk of fighting between the United States and Iran threatens to reignite, China is caught in a bind, trying to protect its interests without getting dragged into the conflict.
Although China may soon feel pressure from reduced energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz, Beijing’s approach so far has been defined by restraint, risk management, and opportunism, according to experts interviewed by The Daily Wire.
“For Beijing, the primary objective is to mitigate the downside,” said Elizabeth Economy, a Hargrove Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution with expertise on Chinese domestic and foreign policy. “This includes navigating through the threat of a global economic recession, managing its disparate relations with countries in the Middle East, and ensuring that it maintains access to the energy it needs.”
Roughly 45% to 50% of China’s crude oil imports pass through the Strait of Hormuz. In 2025, more than half of its crude oil and nearly one-third of its liquefied natural gas came from the Middle East, <a href="https://www.energypolicy.columbia.edu/implications-of-the-conflict-in-the-middle-east-for-chinas-energy-security/">according to</a> Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy.
Official Chinese government data shows 42% of its crude (about 4.9 million barrels per day) comes from Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. An estimated additional 12% comes from Iran, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/energy/chinas-heavy-reliance-iranian-oil-imports-2026-01-13/">Kpler</a>, even though Beijing has reported no Iranian imports since 2022. Oil from the Iranian-linked illicit “dark fleet” is often relabeled as from other countries, or transferred to different ships to disguise its origin because of U.S. sanctions.
<div id="attachment_1081679" style="width: 471px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1081679" class="size-large wp-image-1081679" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-461x576.jpg" alt="" width="461" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-461x576.jpg 461w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-240x300.jpg 240w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040-768x960.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2271049040.jpg 819w" sizes=" (max-width: 461px) 100vw, 461px" />Infographic with map showing how oil from Iran is transported to China circumventing sanctions with transfers to other vessels near Singapore (Graphic by AFP via Getty Images)</div>
The U.S.-imposed blockade on vessels traveling to or from Iranian ports and its coastline has put increasing pressure on the regime and its primary buyer: China. 
“Beijing has reportedly been in contact with Tehran on shipping and de-escalation issues and has urged restraint,” Craig Singleton, a senior fellow at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said.
One vessel that drew international attention this week was the Rich Starry. A sanctioned-tanker bound for China and carrying roughly 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded in the United Arab Emirates, it appeared to transit the Strait of Hormuz before turning back toward Iranian waters after encountering the blockade.
The United States expanded the blockade last week to target Iranian-linked sanctioned vessels worldwide. These ships, known as the “dark fleet,” have allowed Tehran to continue exporting oil despite sanctions by using tankers with obscured ownership, falsified tracking data, and other methods to conceal the origin of Iranian crude — much of which flows to China.
That expanded effort was enforced in the Indo-Pacific for the first time this week, marking a shift beyond the Middle East as U.S. forces intercepted and boarded the Iran-linked sanctioned M/T Tifani.
Even if the blockade continues, China has significant reserves to cushion the impact of the blockade or conflict in the short term.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Overnight, U.S. forces conducted a right-of-visit, maritime interdiction and boarding of the stateless sanctioned M/T Tifani without incident in the INDOPACOM area of responsibility.⁰⁰As we have made clear, we will pursue global maritime enforcement efforts to disrupt illicit… <a href="https://t.co/EGwDe3dBI3">pic.twitter.com/EGwDe3dBI3</a>
— Department of War 🇺🇸 (@DeptofWar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2046544038812156177?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
“The impact on China’s energy access appears relatively limited,” said Singleton. “China has spent years building up significant strategic reserves and investing in alternative energy sources, including nuclear and renewables, to buffer against supply shocks.”
According to geospatial analytics firm Kayrros, China had roughly 1.39 billion barrels of oil in storage — enough to cover about 120 days of net crude imports at 2025 levels. Additional oil is still in transit, awaiting customs clearance, or in floating storage in Asia.
Still, those buffers are not a long-term solution. Beijing may eventually turn to demand reduction measures, including curbing consumption or allowing state-owned energy firms to raise prices, according to the Columbia University-run center.
Smaller Chinese refineries, known as “teapot refineries,” could feel the pressure first. Many shifted from Venezuelan crude to cheap Iranian oil after the United States moved against Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Operating on thin margins, these refiners are particularly vulnerable to price spikes or prolonged disruption.
“In terms of price, China is facing the same problem the rest of the world is,” Michael Sobolik, a Senior Fellow at Hudson Institute focusing on U.S.-China relations said. “Their smaller refiners are struggling, for sure. But in terms of supply, Beijing will be fine, at least for now.”
“But the longer this conflict goes on, the tougher it&#8217;ll become,” he added.
China’s reliance on Iranian oil also creates broader diplomatic challenges.
After the United States and Israel launched attacks on Iran in Operation Epic Fury, the regime responded with rocket and drone attacks on its Arab neighbors, including Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — many of which China depends on for energy and trade.
That leaves Beijing trying to maintain ties with both Iran and its regional rivals at the same time.
Sobolik said China’s own role in supporting Iran’s missiles adds another layer of complexity.
“It supplied rocket fuel for Iranian missiles, and Tehran has fired those missiles at its Arab neighbors,” Sobolik said. “Beijing needs good relations with those countries for energy reasons, so Beijing may encounter some difficult diplomatic dynamics ahead.”
Though a continued conflict could force China to diversify or take sides, experts say a major shift is unlikely for now.
“Iran has historically been a discounted and politically useful supplier for Beijing,” said Singleton. “Over time, this could create stronger incentives for China to diversify supply, but a full realignment would likely require a more durable disruption or a fundamentally different regime in Tehran.”
Though China was rumored to play a role in pushing negotiations that led to the April 8 ceasefire, experts say Beijing’s role may have been more limited.
“It looks like China leaned on Iran to accept a round of negotiations in Pakistan,” said Sobolik. However, he cautioned that Beijing’s influence over Tehran has clear limits.
“China can’t guarantee Iran’s safety, nor can they compel the regime to give up its quest for nuclear weapons,” Sobolik said.
China also refrained from publicly taking a high-profile diplomatic role in negotiations, to have flexibility and avoid being blamed if talks failed. 
Economy said this approach “minimizes China’s political risk and enables Beijing to avoid blame or embarrassment if the negotiations stall or collapse.” It also helps China avoid being “called out for hypocrisy when it talks about protection of international law and respect for sovereignty, given its support for Russia’s war in Ukraine.”
The Iran conflict may be a topic in the upcoming U.S.-China summit scheduled for May 14–15, when President Donald Trump is set to meet Xi Jinping in China, but experts say the conflict has not significantly damaged relations between the two countries.
“It has introduced additional friction, particularly around energy flows and the blockade, but it does not appear to have fundamentally altered the broader trajectory of the relationship,” said Singleton. “Both sides still seem interested in managing tensions and preserving space for engagement where possible.”
Economy offered a similar assessment, saying the conflict has not derailed ties ahead of the summit, which remains a priority for both governments.
<div id="attachment_1081683" style="width: 310px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1081683" class="wp-image-1081683 size-medium" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-300x200.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/GettyImages-2243546978.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px" />US President Donald Trump (L) and China&#8217;s President Xi Jinping shake hands as they arrive for talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)</div>
“I don&#8217;t think it has soured the relationship,” Economy said. “The summit remains a priority for both Trump and Xi, and the issues they will be discussing are largely bilateral in nature.”
She added that the meeting could still be postponed if the blockade or a more active conflict against Iran is ongoing. 
“The biggest focus for the summit — barring a new major international crisis — will be trade,” Economy said. “It is the one channel that both countries are most eager to stabilize.”
Sobolik noted that both Trump and China have “been careful to maintain positive rhetoric,” with one exception: reports that China was considering selling surface-to-air missiles to Iran.
“There were reports that China was about to sell surface-to-air missiles to Iran, which would&#8217;ve targeted U.S. helicopters and close air support planes flying over Iran,” he said, adding that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has also threatened secondary sanctions on Chinese banks with Iranian accounts.
China responded by denying the reports, calling them “purely fabricated” and threatening to take “countermeasures” if such tariff hikes were implemented.
China is not simply reacting to the ongoing conflict — it is also looking for openings to advance its broader geopolitical vision.
“Is there an opportunity to demonstrate the value of China’s alternative order,” Economy said, “for example by underscoring the value of mediation over military action and the weakness of the U.S.-led alliance system in managing the conflict?”
That balancing act of minimizing risk while probing for advantage has become the defining feature of China’s response to the war.

Gemini_Generated_Image_cxc5vxcxc5vxcxc5

China Tries To Play Both Sides In Iran, But Cracks Are Starting To Show

China

The U.S. military is taking its blockade of Iran global, targeting Tehran’s shadowy “dark fleet” in a move aimed at choking off the regime’s illicit oil lifeline.
General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned that the U.S. Navy will &#8220;actively pursue” Iranian-linked ships not just in the Middle East, but in other theaters as well.
“The joint force through operations and activities in other areas of responsibility like the Pacific … will actively pursue any Iranian-flagged vessel or any vessel attempting to provide material support to Iran,” he said. “This includes dark fleet vessels carrying Iranian oil.”
Caine described the “dark fleet” as illicit or illegal ships “evading international regulations, sanctions or insurance requirements.”
The announcement marks a significant expansion of the U.S. naval blockade of Iranian ports and coastline into a worldwide enforcement effort. United Against a Nuclear Iran (UANI) has identified more than 570 vessels as part of Tehran’s so-called “dark fleet,” many of which are already under U.S. sanctions imposed by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
One such sanctioned vessel, the Rich Starry, drew international attention this week after appearing to successfully transit the Strait of Hormuz before turning back toward Iranian waters after reportedly facing the blockade. The Chinese-owned tanker bound for China, <a href="https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/sanctioned-tanker-pulls-strait-of-hormuz-u-turn">carrying</a> roughly 250,000 barrels of methanol loaded from the United Arab Emirates, is flagged to the landlocked country of Malawi — an indicator it is likely part of Iran’s “dark fleet” using false registration to evade sanctions. The vessel previously sailed under the name Full Star when it <a href="https://ofac.treasury.gov/recent-actions/20230302">was added</a> to the Treasury Department’s sanctions list in early 2023.
United States Naval Forces Central Command (USNAVCENT) issued an update about the blockade expansion, announcing that “all Iranian vessels with OFAC sanctions, and vessels suspected of carrying contraband, are subject to belligerent right to visit and search” regardless of location, according to <a href="https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/security/us-targets-dark-fleet-contraband-cargoes-with-blockade-extension">Seatrade Maritime News</a>.
Caine said that the blockade will apply to all ships, regardless of nationality, and that U.S. forces will enforce it both in international waters and “inside Iran’s territorial seas.”
He added that U.S. forces have yet to board any targeted vessels, but that 13 have turned around rather than attempt to break the blockade.
<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/news/press-releases/sb0405#:~:text=This%20action%20is%20in%20furtherance,have%20repeatedly%20and%20courageously%20demanded.">According to OFAC</a>, Iran’s illicit fleet serves as the “regime’s primary source of revenue for financing domestic repression, terrorist proxies, and weapons programs.”
The Treasury Department has also ramped up pressure through what it calls “Operation Economic Fury,” warning that financial institutions worldwide face consequences for facilitating Iran’s oil trade. The move also included new sanctions on more than two dozen individuals, companies, and vessels on Wednesday.
“Treasury is moving aggressively with Economic Fury, maintaining maximum pressure on Iran,” the department said, adding that it is prepared to use the full range of authorities — including secondary sanctions against foreign financial institutions that continue to support Tehran.
The department <a href="https://x.com/USTreasury/status/2044122873036673130">also said</a> a short-term authorization allowing the sale of Iranian oil stranded at sea will expire within days and will not be renewed. The waiver, <a href="https://gcaptain.com/maximum-pressure-returns-u-s-targets-shadow-fleet-tankers-as-iran-oil-waiver-expires/">issued</a> on March 20, permitted the sale of roughly 140 million barrels of oil already loaded onto vessels.
Under OFAC rules, sanctioned individuals and companies have any assets in the United States frozen, and businesses they own are also restricted. U.S. citizens and residents generally cannot do business with them, and foreign companies that help them can face secondary sanctions. Some violations can lead to civil or criminal penalties.

Venezuela Oil Tanker

New U.S. Target? Iran’s ‘Dark Fleet’ Long Accused Of Skirting The Rules.

Treasury Department

U.S. Navy

Since the war between the United States and Iran began nearly two months ago, the conflict has extended beyond the battlefield and into social media feeds. Across X, several official Iranian embassy accounts have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers while adopting a striking new tactic: meme warfare. 
While there have long been accusations that Iran uses anonymous “bot” accounts to push propaganda, its new strategy with many of its official embassy accounts is far more blatant and transparent. Since early March, many of these accounts have shifted from sharing Iranian news or embassy-related information to posting aggregated headlines, AI-generated content, memes, snarky commentary, and personal attacks aimed at maximizing likes, reposts, and impressions. 
Without seeing the name of the account, one might assume it belongs to a Gen-Z partisan influencer rather than a government run by religious fundamentalists who are wary of the West.
Creative content includes everything from Lego-style war videos to Jeffrey Epstein cast as the devil manipulating Trump into war — pushed across more than 70 accounts reaching over 1.1 million followers.
They are leveraging the algorithm to attack the United States, President Donald Trump, and Israel — and doing so effectively.
One of the most inflammatory <a href="https://x.com/IRANinTJ/status/2044138040650805495">posts</a> came from the Iranian embassy in Tajikistan on Tuesday, which shared a video depicting Jesus killing President Trump by punching him into a fiery pit — racking up 11.9 million views and 78,000 likes. 
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the effort “disgusting” and “detached from reality&#8221; Thursday in response to a question from The Daily Wire’s White House Correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan.
“Iran says a lot of things in the propaganda space based on complete lies,&#8221; he said.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="size-large wp-image-1078667" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-3.40.13-PM-543x576.png" alt="" width="543" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-3.40.13-PM-543x576.png 543w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-3.40.13-PM-283x300.png 283w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-3.40.13-PM-768x815.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-3.40.13-PM.png 1184w" sizes=" (max-width: 543px) 100vw, 543px" /></div>
What explains the shift in strategy? The answer lies in both technology and audience.
As Iranian citizens remain in a near-total internet blackout now nearing 50 days, these official government accounts moved in the opposite direction.
Before Operation Epic Fury, many of these Iranian embassy accounts posted sparingly, often fewer than 10 times a day. Then a switch flipped. Data from 69 of the accounts shows a clear surge to between 50 and 200 posts per day, flooding feeds with a nonstop stream of content, according to data compiled by <a class="GI370e" href="https://networkcontagion.us" data-ved="2ahUKEwiTqN3XlvGTAxUh3RoGHYqBLGUQgK4QegQIARAB" data-hveid="CAEQAQ" data-processed="true">Network Contagion Research Institute</a> and shared with The Daily Wire.
<div id="attachment_1078721" style="width: 718px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1078721" class="size-large wp-image-1078721" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/a57a8014-8cdd-4edf-a9e7-381077a2eed2-708x576.jpg" alt="" width="708" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/a57a8014-8cdd-4edf-a9e7-381077a2eed2-708x576.jpg 708w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/a57a8014-8cdd-4edf-a9e7-381077a2eed2-300x244.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/a57a8014-8cdd-4edf-a9e7-381077a2eed2-768x625.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/a57a8014-8cdd-4edf-a9e7-381077a2eed2.jpg 1432w" sizes=" (max-width: 708px) 100vw, 708px" />(NCRI)</div>
That output is powered in large part by the rapid rise of generative AI. Content that would have required significant time, money and production resources can now be created cheaply and almost instantly. It relies heavily on what has come to be known as “AI slop” — low-cost, mass-produced AI-generated content that prioritizes speed and virality over polish or accuracy.
Much of the slopaganda still carries a distinctly American tone, closely tracking U.S. political discourse and online trends. This includes the embassies weighing in on controversies within pro-Trump circles, including a recent episode in which President Trump shared — and later deleted — a post that depicted him as Jesus healing someone.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1078669" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-5.59.01-PM-515x576.png" alt="" width="515" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-5.59.01-PM-515x576.png 515w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-5.59.01-PM-268x300.png 268w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-5.59.01-PM-768x859.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-5.59.01-PM.png 1188w" sizes=" (max-width: 515px) 100vw, 515px" /></div>
The Iranian embassy in Tunis has also tapped into American military humor, <a href="https://x.com/IranembTun/status/2040324503352328320">posting</a> a meme built around the U.S. military’s own joking nickname for the Air Force — the “Chair Force” — showing American pilots ejecting from their jets. The timing was notable: it came shortly after a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran in early April.
These accounts produce a steady stream of posts calibrated to the rhythm of the American news cycle, echoing trending topics and even internal political debates. This results in them frequently going viral.
That pattern is borne out in the data: an analysis of 18,246 tweets shows a spike in mentions of the United States, Israel and President Trump beginning in early March, coinciding with the broader surge in posting activity and the start of the conflict.
<div id="attachment_1078785" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1078785" class="size-large wp-image-1078785" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/PHOTO-2026-04-15-22-35-47-1024x480.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="480" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/PHOTO-2026-04-15-22-35-47-1024x480.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/PHOTO-2026-04-15-22-35-47-300x141.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/PHOTO-2026-04-15-22-35-47-768x360.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/PHOTO-2026-04-15-22-35-47.jpg 1412w" sizes=" (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />(NCRI)</div>
One of the Tajikistan-based account’s most <a href="https://x.com/IRANinTJ/status/2041615428884279572">viral posts</a> was a video using a popular meme format, depicting Israel slamming the United States’ face into a balloon meant to represent Iran — only for it to refuse to pop. Set to the Jewish song “Hava Nagila,” the clip drew roughly 3 million views.
Another <a href="https://x.com/IRANinTJ/status/2044111103609974849">post</a> from the Iranian embassy in Tajikistan reached more than a million viewers. It featured a crudely produced video depicting Jeffrey Epstein as the devil whispering in President Trump’s ear, urging him to attack podcasters Tucker Carlson, Candace Owens and Alex Jones and to start wars. The video concluded with a song by the American rapper Eminem.
One of the most prominent embassy accounts accused of being used by Iran’s Islamic regime is its mission to South Africa. With more than 168,000 followers, the account posts dozens of times a day and frequently goes viral, particularly when mocking President Trump.
In a Wednesday <a href="https://x.com/IraninSA/status/2044342594629517561">post</a>, the account shared an AI-generated image depicting Trump as a baby playing a video game titled “Hormuz Strait.”
“Not a game, kiddo,” the account wrote alongside the image.
In another post, the account shared an AI-generated video portraying Trump as an ’80s-style singer with a mullet, performing a parody of Desireless’s Voyage Voyage, renamed Blockade with the lyrics: “If you block me, then I block you.&#8221; The video received 8.9 million views, 13,000 reposts, and 56,000 likes.
<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-large wp-image-1078675" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.02.32-PM-478x576.png" alt="" width="478" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.02.32-PM-478x576.png 478w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.02.32-PM-249x300.png 249w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.02.32-PM-768x925.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.02.32-PM.png 1176w" sizes=" (max-width: 478px) 100vw, 478px" /> The message was echoed by the Iranian consulate in Hyderabad, India, which shared a map of the Strait of Hormuz declaring, “Iran will block the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.&#8221; This post that drew over 750,000 views. The Iranian embassy in Bulgaria posted a cartoon of President Trump wedged in the Strait and shouting “I can’t breathe!” — <a href="https://x.com/iraninbulgaria/status/2040517584294982123?s=46&amp;t=ghpHusspWPjTMisXwpsMaA">a post</a> that drew roughly 2.7 million views.
<a href="https://x.com/IRANinZIMBABWE/status/2043804966767214890">A post</a> from the Iranian embassy in Zimbabwe portrayed President Trump as a pirate in a fictional &#8220;Pedoflix&#8221; movie poster titled “Pirates of the Hormuz,” set against burning ships and chaos at sea, alongside the caption: “But they’re still just wandering around in the Indian Ocean.” The post drew over 196,500 views.
Another post from the Iranian Embassy in South Africa <a href="https://x.com/IraninSA/status/2044475025328099409">comparing</a> Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler received 75,000 views and 6,000 likes just under two hours after posting. It was joined with the caption: “Of course, this comparison is an insult to Hitler.”
The account also interacts with other X users in a highly unusual manner for a government-run account, at times sounding more like an edgy teenager in a YouTube comment section than a diplomatic mission. 
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-1078677" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.06.23-PM.png" alt="" width="1020" height="286" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.06.23-PM.png 1020w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.06.23-PM-300x84.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/04/Screenshot-2026-04-15-at-6.06.23-PM-768x215.png 768w" sizes=" (max-width: 1020px) 100vw, 1020px" /></div>
In a March <a href="https://x.com/IraninSA/status/2033210860076683407">post</a>, the official Iranian embassy account in South Africa responded to a moderately followed user — purporting to be a political analyst from the United Arab Emirates — who had directed profanity at Iran’s spokesperson, writing: “I humbly ask you to shut your filthy mouth, you who are filthier than a dog.”
The regime has been explicit about why it is weaponizing social media. In a post on <a href="https://x.com/IraninSA/status/2044003277218443671">Tuesday</a>, the Iranian embassy in South Africa described social media as one of several “fronts of resistance,” alongside the battlefield, the streets and negotiations. These accounts are not just a sideshow, but a coordinated front in the conflict using modern propaganda warfare.

Iranian AI posts

Slopaganda: Iran Weaponizes Brainrot To Attack The United States

Social Media

President Donald J. Trump dropping a late-night update that could mark a major shift in one of the most volatile regions in the world: Talks between Israel and Lebanon are expected to happen Thursday.
“Trying to get a little breathing room between Israel and Lebanon,” Trump posted. “It has been a long time since the two leaders have spoken, like 34 years. It will happen tomorrow. Nice!”
Thirty-four years.
That’s how long it’s been since direct talks between Israel and Lebanon, a country that has, for decades, effectively been a launching pad for Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed terror group that has repeatedly attacked Israel from southern Lebanon.
Hezbollah isn’t just some fringe militia. It’s an extension of Iran’s terror network, armed, funded, and directed to keep pressure on Israel while Tehran pulls the strings from afar. That dynamic has turned Lebanon into a frontline in Iran’s broader war against the Jewish state for years.
And now, Trump is stepping in to force something that hasn’t happened in over three decades: direct engagement.
This comes after Israel hammered Hezbollah positions following the launch of the United States’ Operation Epic Fury, including strikes that reached deep into Beirut, while tensions tied to the broader Iran conflict continue to simmer.
Behind the scenes, United States, Israeli, and Lebanese officials have already begun laying the groundwork. But Trump’s message makes one thing clear: this isn’t just another quiet diplomatic effort, it’s a push to reset a long-frozen conflict.
The big question now? What exactly happens when a government tied to Hezbollah sits down across from Israel for the first time in a generation?
Because if this actually materializes, it’s not just “breathing room.”
It’s a crack in a decades-old standoff that’s been fueled by Iran, and watched by the world.

Trump_L_I

Trump Signals 34-Year First As Longtime Enemies Prepare To Sit Down

Israel

Lebanon

President Trump

Inflation ticked up to 3.3% in March, according to data released Friday by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 
The March Consumer Price Index report is the first to reflect the impact of the conflict with Iran. While the 3.3% reading was in line with expectations, inflation had been at 2.4% and on a downward trend prior to the U.S. strikes.
Energy prices saw the largest increase, rising 10.9%, the biggest monthly jump since 2005. Gas prices are now above <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">$4</a> a gallon, while diesel is just over <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/">$5</a>. Food prices, however, remained stable despite disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply flows. Rising energy costs are a key driver of inflation, as they affect the price of goods and services across the economy.
White House spokesperson Kush Desai said the administration expected inflationary pressures tied to Operation Epic Fury. 
“President Trump has always been clear about short-term disruptions as a result of Operation Epic Fury, disruptions that the Administration has been diligently working to mitigate,” he <a href="https://x.com/KushDesai47/status/2042589657506922706">said</a>. “Although gas and energy prices are seeing volatility, prices of eggs, beef, prescription drugs, dairy, and other household essentials are falling or remain stable thanks to President Trump’s policies.” 
Desai added that the administration is working to ensure the free flow of energy through the Strait of Hormuz and that the economy can handle the disruption due to its “supply-side agenda of tax cuts, deregulation, and energy abundance.”
Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, who served under the Biden administration, told CNBC that the Trump administration&#8217;s policies are contributing to rising prices.
“As feared, inflation is up,” he said, adding that the administration is actively making prices higher through tariffs and the war.
Inflation peaked at 9.1% under the Biden administration. March’s reading is the highest level of inflation under the Trump administration.

Satellite Imagery Of The Strait Of Hormuz

Inflation Report Shows Iran War Impact As A Key Piece Tells The Story

Inflation

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said he believes the ceasefire between the United States and Iran will hold after being asked by The Daily Wire about reports of Iranian strikes overnight. 
“We were monitoring it last night in real time. Of course, we are. Iran would be wise to find a way to get the carrier pigeon to their troops out in remote locations, to know not to shoot, not to shoot any longer,” Hegseth said. “It takes time sometimes for ceasefires to take hold. We&#8217;re watching it. We&#8217;re prepared, if necessary, but we hope and believe that it&#8217;ll hold.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/SecWar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecWar</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/MaryMargOlohan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MaryMargOlohan</a> that the Strait of Hormuz is OPEN and commerce will FLOW, despite Iran noting technical limitations.
Hegseth added that the administration &#8220;hopes and believes&#8221; the ceasefire will hold when asked about this morning&#8217;s Iranian strikes:
&#8220;Iran would… <a href="https://t.co/iwFShQ21sa">pic.twitter.com/iwFShQ21sa</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/2041860553719619612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 8, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hegseth made the remarks during a briefing at the Pentagon on Wednesday morning after being asked by Daily Wire White House correspondent Mary Margaret Olohan about reports that Kuwait, Israel, and the United Arab Emirates faced Iranian strikes after President Donald Trump announced a two-week ceasefire. 
Hegseth also told reporters that American troops in the Middle East are &#8220;not going anywhere&#8221; and will remain in the region to ensure Iran abides by the ceasefire agreement &#8220;and ultimately comes to the table to make a deal&#8221; on a broader peace agreement. 
&#8220;Our troops are prepared to defend, prepared to go on offense, prepared to restart at a moment&#8217;s notice with whatever target package would be needed,&#8221; he said.
Olohan also asked Hegseth about what the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz would look like and what restrictions Iran might place on ships. 
“What we know is that Iran is going to say a lot of things. A lot of people are going to say a lot of things, claim a lot of things,” Hegseth said. “What has been agreed to, what&#8217;s been stated, is the strait is open. Our military is watching. I’m sure their military is watching, but commerce will flow. And that&#8217;s what you saw the market reacts to, is that reality.”
In a Truth Social <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/116367088879643074">post</a> early Wednesday, Trump suggested Iran was ready to reach a broader peace agreement and said the United States would help manage traffic in the Strait of Hormuz.
“A big day for World Peace! Iran wants it to happen, they’ve had enough! Likewise, so has everyone else! The United States of America will be helping with the traffic buildup in the Strait of Hormuz,” Trump wrote. “There will be lots of positive action! Big money will be made. Iran can start the reconstruction process.”
Trump added that the United States would be “loading up with supplies of all kinds, and just ‘hangin’ around’ in order to make sure that everything goes well.” 
“I feel confident that it will,” he said.

US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-HEGSETH

Daily Wire Asks Hegseth About Iran Ceasefire Slip-Ups As Shaky Truce Takes Hold

Pete Hegseth

Strait of Hormuz

In the days ahead, the direction of Operation Epic Fury will become unmistakable in the targets the United States and Israel choose to strike.
The U.S.-Israeli air campaign has already delivered historic results. Our losses to enemy fire have been dramatically lower than in past major operations — far below the roughly one aircraft per day suffered in the run-up to Desert Storm. Precision strikes combined with air superiority have severely damaged Iran’s missile forces, air defenses, and naval capabilities.
The extraordinary rescue of the downed F-15E pilot and weapons systems officer — the latter extracted on Easter Sunday after going missing on Good Friday — further showcased unmatched special operations skill and real-time intelligence fusion, with operators inserted near Isfahan and a small team sortieing to a 7,000-foot ridge to recover the injured colonel under enemy pressure.
These successes set the stage for the critical phase now unfolding.
President Donald Trump’s remarks on Monday included both talks of negotiations and a threat to hit dual-use infrastructure, but the clearest indicators will be the strikes themselves in the coming hours and days.
For America and its allies, the central goals remain eliminating Iran’s nuclear and missile threat, neutralizing its ability to close the Strait of Hormuz, and cutting off support for its terror proxies — Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Houthis. These elements have long formed the regime’s capacity to destabilize the region and threaten global energy security.
<div id="attachment_1059641" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1059641" class="size-large wp-image-1059641" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg" alt="Strait of Hormuz (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/03/GettyImages-2242929815.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Strait of Hormuz (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)</div>
Iran’s center of gravity is more existential: the survival of the revolutionary regime itself.
Animated by a messianic death cult ideology that seeks to hasten the end times and the return of the 12th Hidden Imam — the Mahdi — the regime views its stockpile of 60% enriched uranium as vital insurance for that apocalyptic mission.
But preserving custody of that material increasingly forces a confrontation with the regime’s very existence, even if full regime change has not been the publicly stated goal.
Watch the target sets carefully. 
If strikes concentrate on tactical assets around the Strait of Hormuz — anti-ship missiles, coastal batteries, fast-attack craft, and related naval infrastructure — the immediate priority will be reopening vital shipping lanes and safeguarding global oil flows. This approach would focus on restoring freedom of navigation while building on gains already achieved. But, as operations against the Houthis to safeguard the Red Sea showed, it’s not easy.
But targeting dual-use infrastructure, such as bridges, power plants, and logistics nodes, would indicate sustained pressure on the regime’s ability to move forces and maintain domestic control. Such targets squeeze the theocrats’ sustainment without committing to large-scale ground operations, potentially accelerating internal strains on a population long weary of repression.
The most telling sign, however, would be systematic attacks on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Basij militia leadership, command nodes, and control networks. If the campaign pivots decisively in this direction, it will mark the abandonment of meaningful negotiation and a clear intent to drive this terror regime toward collapse. Air power that degrades the mullahs’ tools of internal repression — especially amid existing domestic discontent — could burst open the door for rapid regime collapse.
Only the last option — going after the regime — would likely lead to the United States recovering Iran’s enriched uranium.
Ultimately, the regime faces a binary choice: recognize the futility of defiance or cling to its apocalyptic ideology at ever greater cost. The Iranian people, long oppressed by a corrupt theocracy, could prove decisive once the regime’s instruments of control are sufficiently shattered.
Operation Epic Fury has already reshaped the battlefield in America’s favor. The strategic decisions made now — guided by a clear grasp of centers of gravity as Carl von Clausewitz described them, the hub of all power and movement — will determine whether this campaign delivers not just tactical success but lasting victory: a Middle East more secure, global commerce protected, and a dangerous regime consigned to history’s garbage pile.
What unfolds in the coming days will turn on those target choices and the intent behind them.
* * *
Chuck DeVore is the Chief National Initiatives Officer at the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

TOPSHOT-US-ISRAEL-IRAN-WAR-POLITICS-TRUMP

Why What Comes Next In Iran Will Decide Everything

What Comes Next In Operation Epic Fury: By Sea And By Land, Watch The Targets Closely

Middle East

U.S. Military

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said Monday that a downed U.S. airman’s first message after ejecting over Iran was a simple but powerful declaration: “God is good.”
Speaking during a press conference with President Donald Trump about the rescue mission, Hegseth framed the operation in spiritual terms, noting the airman was shot down on Good Friday, spent Saturday hiding in a mountain crevice, and was ultimately rescued as the sun rose on Easter Sunday.
“In that moment of isolation and danger, his faith and fighting spirit shone through,” Hegseth said. “A pilot reborn, all home and accounted for, a nation rejoicing. God is good.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the downed U.S. airman’s first message after activating his emergency transponder was simple: “God is good.” <a href="https://t.co/gqka8LalPo">pic.twitter.com/gqka8LalPo</a>
— Kassy Akiva (@KassyAkiva) <a href="https://twitter.com/KassyAkiva/status/2041209101091537003?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Hegseth added that no American lives were lost in the operation, as U.S. forces upheld the Airman’s Creed, which promises to never leave an airman behind.
“We leave no man behind,” Hegseth said. “And that is not luck.&#8221;
Both <a href="https://x.com/petehegseth/status/2040779298823659939?s=46&amp;t=o-U3qwC25WnWaylJ0oeG7Q">Hegseth</a> and White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt <a href="https://x.com/PressSec/status/2040880310250770892">tweeted</a> “God is Good” on Easter Sunday, alluding to the message from the airman.
According to details outlined by President Trump, the F-15E fighter jet was struck in southwest Iran, causing the pilot and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) to eject. The pilot was successfully recovered in a mission several hours later, while the WSO spent 48 hours evading capture by enemies.
Trump said that despite being injured and “bleeding rather profusely,&#8221; the airman treated his own wounds, scaled cliff faces, and contacted American forces to transmit his location.
To recover the airman, more than 155 aircraft were used, including four bombers, 64 fighter jets, 48 refueling tankers, and 13 rescue aircraft. According to Trump, many of the aircraft were used to fool the Iranians into checking incorrect locations while searching for the American servicemember.
“We wanted to have them think he was in a different location, because they had a vast military force out there—thousands, thousands of people were looking,” Trump said. “So we wanted them to look in different areas, so we were scattered all over like we were right on top of them.”
Trump added that Iranians were tricked by seven different locations and were “very confused.”
Meanwhile, American forces rushed to the correct evacuation zone.
“America&#8217;s military descended on the area—the real area—engaged the enemy, rescued the stranded officer, destroyed all threats, and exited Iranian territory while taking no casualties of any kind,” Trump said.
Two large aircraft used in the rescue became stuck in wet sand and were unable to take off, according to President Trump. A contingency plan was quickly put in place, bringing in additional planes to evacuate personnel.
“We had a contingency plan which was unbelievable—where lighter, faster aircraft came in and they took them out, we blew up the old planes—we blew &#8217;em up to smithereens,” Trump said.

Donald Trump & Pete Hegseth

Rescued Airman’s Words To God Now Echoing Across America

World

For nearly 48 hours, an American colonel evaded capture by scaling a tall ridge and hiding inside a mountain crevice, as Iranian forces — who were promised a reported bounty — worked to close in on his position.
While much about the rescue effort for the downed U.S. weapons systems officer (WSO) remains unknown, newly confirmed details from President Trump and unnamed U.S. military officials are beginning to shed light on the daring mission that quickly became the Pentagon’s top priority.
After their F-15E fighter jet was struck in southwest Iran, both the pilot and the WSO ejected. The pilot was found and rescued in “broad daylight” after U.S. forces operated over Iran for seven hours, President Donald Trump revealed in a statement Sunday morning.
The rescue of the WSO, on the other hand, proved to be more challenging.
Described as a “highly respected Colonel,” the WSO, who was “seriously wounded,” was rescued “deep inside the mountains of Iran,” while Iranian forces were looking for him “in big numbers” and “getting close,” according to Trump.
After hitting the ground, the colonel relied on his Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) training to avoid capture. The WSO, who was equipped with a beacon — a device that sends encrypted distress signals via satellite to rescue forces — was being monitored by the president, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, and other officials during the rescue operation, Trump said. The president added that he directed “dozens of aircraft” to retrieve him.
The WSO climbed roughly 7,000 feet into mountainous terrain to conceal himself, as hundreds of special operations forces from various branches, along with dozens of warplanes and helicopters — and support from cyber, space, and intelligence assets — were mobilized to rescue him, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/04/us/politics/military-iran-airman-rescue.html">The New York Times</a>.
Israeli officials shared intelligence with the United States to aid the search-and-rescue effort, while the Israeli military paused air strikes in the area, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/live-news/second-us-fighter-jet-downed-by-strait-of-hormuz-as-search-for-f-15e-crew-member-in-iran-continues">Fox News</a>. Meanwhile, the CIA launched a “deception campaign” inside Iran, spreading false information that the colonel had already been rescued — confusing Iranian forces as the operation unfolded, the outlet reported.
According to The New York Times, Iranian convoys attempting to reach the area were struck to keep them away from the extraction zone, and a senior military official described the mission as one of the most challenging and complex in U.S. special operations history. MQ-9 Reaper drones were used to create a lethal perimeter to protect the crew member from Iranians who got within three kilometers of the WSO, reported <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/f-15e-aviator-missing-in-iran-rescued-by-us-forces/#:~:text=U.S.%20MQ%2D9%20Reaper%20drones,also%20involved%20in%20the%20mission.">Air &amp; Space Forces Magazine</a>.
Reports differ on whether a firefight occurred during the operation. The New York Times reported that U.S. forces engaged Iranian units, while Fox News said no direct firefight took place. <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/04/03/f-15-crash-iran-missing/">The Washington Post</a>, citing anonymous U.S. officials, reported that Iranian forces opened fire on two helicopters searching for the weapons officer, wounding several American service members on board.
At least one aircraft involved in the extraction — possibly a C-130 Hercules — was left behind after becoming stuck in the mud and was later destroyed to prevent it from falling into enemy hands, Fox News reported.
The New York Times described a similar complication, reporting that two transport planes became disabled at a remote base in Iran after the weapons officer was rescued. Air &amp; Space Forces Magazine claims that the two planes destroyed were MC-130J Air Force Special Operations planes.
Commanders ultimately flew in three additional aircraft to extract all U.S. personnel and destroyed the disabled planes to keep them from falling into Iranian hands.
Trump announced that he will hold a press conference on Monday at 1:00 p.m. ET with military officials, where he will likely reveal more key details of the historic rescue mission.
CENTCOM and the Department of War declined to comment on this report.

October 11, 2012 – A U.S. Army paratrooper participates in a personnel drop during Large Package Week (LPW)/Joint Operational Access Exercise (JOAX) at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

‘WE GOT HIM’: Inside One Of The Most Complex Missions In U.S. Special Ops History

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