US Israel Escalate As Iran Defiant, Fear Russia Aids Iran; Plan Kharg Island Capture; Kurds Stay Out (Alexander Mercouris)

00:00 Intro & Context of US-Iran Conflict
01:10 Objectives and Regime Change Motives
03:30 Iranian Leadership Succession & Israeli Reactions
06:30 Media Silence and Regime Change Aims
10:10 Intelligence Leaks & Ground Invasion Obstacle
16:10 White House Conflicts and Leadership Doubts
21:10 Failed Hopes for Military Rebellion in Iran
24:10 US & Israeli War Efforts Stalling
28:00 Military Buildup and Arms Shortages
32:00 Energy Markets & Economic Fallout
36:00 Trump’s Outbursts and UK Relations
42:00 US Policy Shifts on Kurdish Involvement
47:40 Relentless Escalation & Desalination Plant Attacks
55:00 Oil Facilities Under Siege
01:01:00 Plan B: Seizing Kharg Island
01:07:00 Special Ops and Credibility Issues
01:13:00 Iranian Endurance & Lack of Coherent US Strategy
01:22:00 Lavrov, Diplomacy & Anchorage Negotiations Collapse



We're at the stage where attacks on Iranian oil facilities will result in counter strikes against Israeli and Gulf State oil facilities. A fundamental fact of this conflict is that ANY country hosting US forces, that have made direct attacks upon Iran, are participants and targets in the war. Widening attacks to desalination plants, reportedly by the Israelis, further exposes the folly of what's going on here, and invites counter attacks that would cause a crisis in the region (32:00-42:00).

In the past, the US and NATO have had no problem destroying civilian infrastructure, particularly with their destruction of vast Libyan irrigation works in 2011. Gulf countries that pretend to not be directly involved in this war have no leg to stand on. They are already involved. However, the first targets of Iranian counter attacks in this cycle will be Israeli oil and desalination plants, the latter of which supply about one third of the water to that country. In Gulf State countries the percentage of water supplied by desalination is much higher. 

[Posted at the SpookyWeather2 blog, March 10, 2026.]