Fire, Drones and the Dead in Three Countries – No End in Sight

In the night into Tuesday, two Iranian drones struck the grounds of the U.S. Embassy in Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry spoke of a limited fire and minor damage. Shortly before that, the U.S. Embassy in Kuwait had already been attacked. Washington responded by evacuating non-essential personnel from Kuwait, Bahrain, Iraq, Qatar, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates. The diplomatic space is sinking. The military one is expanding.

At the same time, explosions shook Tehran. Fighter jets could be heard overhead, the targets initially unclear. The International Atomic Energy Agency reported damage at the nuclear facility in Natanz, without expecting any radiological consequences. In Iran, the Red Crescent is speaking of at least 787 dead as a result of the American-Israeli strikes. In Israel, eleven people were killed by Iranian missiles. In Lebanon, at least 52 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Hezbollah structures. Six U.S. soldiers died in Kuwait, three people in the Emirates, one each in Kuwait and Bahrain.

The Strait of Hormuz stands at the center of the escalation. One fifth of the world’s traded oil passes through this narrow waterway. An Iranian Revolutionary Guard commander declared it closed and threatened to set ships on fire. Energy facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia were hit, cargo ships attacked. Oil and gas prices are rising. Digital infrastructure is also coming into focus: data centers in the Emirates reported damage. Donald Trump speaks of an operation that could last weeks. Munitions are available in virtually unlimited quantities. The objective is the destruction of Iran’s missile capability, the elimination of its navy, the prevention of a nuclear program and the end of support for Hezbollah. Israel’s Prime Minister Netanyahu claims Iran is building new underground facilities. He provided no evidence.

In Beirut steigen Rauchwolken über südlichen Vororten auf. Die libanesische Armee räumt Stellungen an der Grenze. Hisbollah feuert Drohnen, Israel meldet Abschüsse. In Kuwait schoss die eigene Luftabwehr drei US-Jets ab, die Piloten konnten sich retten. Die Region steht unter Strom. Flughäfen schließen, Bürger stecken fest. Millionen sind bereits vertrieben. Eine erkennbare Exit-Strategie existiert nicht. Was als Trumps große Friedens- und Befreiungsaktion begann, droht zu einer globalen Katastrophe zu werden.