Daily Archives: 19. Juli 2026


19.07.2026 - 23:21 [ Daniel Neun / Radio Utopie ]

Der Iran wird zu einem Verlierer des Westasienkrieges

Irgendeine Gruppe oder Fraktion hat die StaatsfĂŒhrung des Iran ĂŒbernommen, in deren Interesse nicht der Iran selbst, sondern die FortfĂŒhrung des Krieges auf unabsehbare Zeit steht. Welche Rolle dabei der Sohn des in der ersten Angriffswelle auf den Iran am 28. Februar ermordeten „Obersten FĂŒhrers“ („Supreme Leader“) Ali Khamenei, Mojtaba Khamenei spielt, erscheint völlig unklar. Bisher ist er nicht in der Öffentlichkeit aufgetreten. Ausgerechnet ĂŒber israelische Medien wird gestreut, dies werde so bleiben bis zum unabsehbaren Ende des Krieges. Die formal dem „Obersten FĂŒhrer“ unterstellten Revolutionsgarden agieren gegen die iranischen Interessen. Gewinner des Krieges sind u.a. Ölmagnate, Kriegsproduzenten und der internationale geheimdienstliche Komplex, nicht zuletzt in der Russischen Föderation, sowie der zum Machterhalt auf Krieg und externe Bedrohung angewiesene Machthaber in Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu.

Dabei ist das Interesse der Kriegsgewinnler auf allen Seiten den Westasienkrieg insgesamt noch auszuweiten.

19.07.2026 - 17:30 [ Al Jazeera ]

Iran in ‘real danger of overplaying its hand’

“Tehran has repeatedly overplayed its hand throughout history, and these repeated attacks across the Gulf Cooperation Council could end up making the Strait of Hormuz redundant,” Kamrava told Al Jazeera.

He noted some Gulf countries have already invested in alternative routes to export oil and gas.

“Tehran is running a real danger of overplaying its hand,” Kamrava reiterated.

19.07.2026 - 17:10 [ CNBC ]

As the Iran war upends energy flows, Russia is emerging as the real winner

(March 10, 2026)

For Russia, which remains one of the world’s largest oil exporters despite Western sanctions following its invasion of Ukraine, the price rally directly translates into stronger state revenues.

Henning Gloystein, managing director for energy and resources at Eurasia Group, said Russia has “already hugely benefited” from the crisis after Washington granted India a temporary waiver allowing it to continue purchasing Russian crude.

19.07.2026 - 17:07 [ Fortune.com ]

Putin is the real winner in Trump’s Iran war as it puts Russian oil back on the map

(March 23, 2026)

The war in Iran is spiking global oil prices, and Russian President Vladimir Putin couldn’t be happier.

The war has bottled up one-fifth of the world’s oil, putting a premium on the remaining supply, including Russian barrels.

19.07.2026 - 16:49 [ wrd.ch ]

Die Kunst des Krieges

Jede KriegfĂŒhrung grĂŒndet auf TĂ€uschung. Wenn wir also fĂ€hig sind anzugreifen, mĂŒssen wir unfĂ€hig erscheinen; wenn wir unsere StreitkrĂ€fte einsetzen, mĂŒssen wir inaktiv scheinen; wenn wir nahe sind, mĂŒssen wir den Feind glauben machen, daß wir weit entfernt sind; wenn wir weit entfernt sind, mĂŒssen wir ihn glauben machen, daß wir nahe sind.
Lege Köder aus, um den Feind zu verfĂŒhren. TĂ€usche Unordnung vor und zerschmettere ihn. Wenn der Feind in allen Punkten sicher ist, dann sei auf ihn vorbereitet. Wenn er an KrĂ€ften ĂŒberlegen ist, dann weiche ihm aus. Wenn dein Gegner ein cholerisches Temperament hat, dann versuche ihn zu reizen.
Gib vor, schwach zu sein, damit er ĂŒberheblich wird. Wenn er sich sammeln will, dann lasse ihm keine Ruhe. Wenn seine StreitkrĂ€fte vereint sind, dann zersplittere sie. Greife ihn an, wo er unvorbereitet ist, tauche auf, wo du nicht erwartet wirst.
Der General, der eine Schlacht gewinnt, stellt vor dem Kampf im Geiste viele Berechnungen an. Der General, der verliert, stellt vorher kaum Berechnungen an. So fĂŒhren viele Berechnungen zum Sieg und wenig Berechnungen zur Niederlage – ĂŒberhaupt keine erst recht! Indem ich diesem Punkt Aufmerksamkeit widme, kann ich voraussagen, wer siegen
oder unterliegen wird.

19.07.2026 - 16:29 [ MIT.edu ]

The Art of War


18. All warfare is based on deception.

19. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

20. Hold out baits to entice the enemy. Feign disorder, and crush him.

21. If he is secure at all points, be prepared for him. If he is in superior strength, evade him.

22. If your opponent is of choleric temper, seek to irritate him. Pretend to be weak, that he may grow arrogant.

23. If he is taking his ease, give him no rest. If his forces are united, separate them.

24. Attack him where he is unprepared, appear where you are not expected.

25. These military devices, leading to victory, must not be divulged beforehand.

26. Now the general who wins a battle makes many calculations in his temple ere the battle is fought. The general who loses a battle makes but few calculations beforehand. Thus do many calculations lead to victory, and few calculations to defeat: how much more no calculation at all! It is by attention to this point that I can foresee who is likely to win or lose.

19.07.2026 - 16:14 [ Al Jazeera ]

UN nuclear watchdog investigates reported attack on Iran’s Darkhovin site

“The facility is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last visited by the IAEA,” the UN agency said in a statement.

The reported attack is not believed to pose any radiological risk, the IAEA said, but Director General Rafael Grossi reiterated a call for “military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites”.

19.07.2026 - 16:09 [ Shafaq.com ]

Who is striking Iraqi Kurdistan? New drones deepen an unanswered question

The structural reason attribution stays murky is itself worth naming because the „Islamic Resistance in Iraq“ is not a single group but an umbrella of interchangeable front names, staffed largely by Kataib Hezbollah personnel, under which the harder-line factions operate. Attacks surface under disposable labels while the parent organizations issue denials, distributing deniability by design. In that framework, the absence of a claim is not evidence of an outside hand; it is the system working as intended.

Which leaves open a possibility that neither the proxy-signal nor the internal-defiance reading captures: that the strikes serve simply to manufacture instability in a region whose neutrality makes it a soft and symbolically useful target. When drones are intercepted over the cities, their debris cleared and their intended target never confirmed, even the object of the attack becomes a matter of inference.

19.07.2026 - 15:22 [ Bahrain News Agency ]

High Representative of EU and Bahrain, as Presidency of GCC, issue statement on Strait of Hormuz and Freedom of Navigation

Brussels, Jul. 18 (BNA): On the occasion of the High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation, held in Brussels on 13 July, co-chaired by High Representative Kaja Kallas on behalf of the European Union, and Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in his capacity as President of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the High Representative and the Presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council issued the following joint statement:

1. The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council reaffirm that freedom of navigation, including the right of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strait used for international navigation, are guaranteed under international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. These rights belong to the ships of all States and cannot be suspended, impeded, or made conditional by any State.

2. We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks carried out by Iran against commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and against the sovereign territory of States of the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. These attacks endangered civilian lives and mariners, violated international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, and are wholly unjustifiable.

3. We reject as unlawful any assertion of sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz by any State, and we oppose any regime of permits, transit tolls, or service fees imposed upon international shipping. No bilateral arrangement, understanding, or memorandum between States can unlawfully govern or restrict the right of passage through an international strait, which is guaranteed to all States under international law and cannot be subordinated to the control or permission of any State.

4. We express our full solidarity with the States affected by these attacks and with the seafarers of all nationalities placed in danger. An attack on the security of one is a concern for all who depend on the safety of this vital waterway.

5. We call upon Iran to cease immediately and unconditionally all attacks and all interference with maritime navigation; to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, sustainably and without condition, toll, or fee; and to comply fully with international law and with Security Council Resolution 2817. We reject the imposition of any unilateral or unlawful mechanism or arrangement affecting safe passage through the Strait. States must work within and support international and regional institutions responsible for maritime governance, safety, and security, particularly the International Maritime Organisation.

6. The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council will continue to coordinate closely to uphold freedom of navigation, to support the protection of international shipping and seafarers, and to advance a just and durable peace and security in the region, consistent with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

7. We continue to call for restraint and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as means to resolve the crisis and to uphold freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

19.07.2026 - 15:22 [ European Union External Action ]

Co-chairs Statement by the High Representative and the Kingdom of Bahrain as Presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council on the Strait of Hormuz and Freedom of Navigation

13.07.2026 Brussels, 13 July 2026

EEAS Press Team

On the occasion of the High-Level Forum on Regional Security and Cooperation, held in Brussels on 13 July 2026, co-chaired by High Representative Kaja Kallas on behalf of the European Union, and HE Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayani, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Bahrain, in his capacity as President of the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council, the High Representative and Presidency of the Gulf Cooperation Council issued the following joint statement:

1. The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council reaffirm that freedom of navigation, including the right of passage through the Strait of Hormuz, a strait used for international navigation, are guaranteed under international law, as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. These rights belong to the ships of all States and cannot be suspended, impeded, or made conditional by any State.

2. We condemn in the strongest terms the attacks carried out by Iran against commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, and against the sovereign territory of States of the region, including Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. These attacks endangered civilian lives and mariners, violated international law and United Nations Security Council Resolution 2817, and are wholly unjustifiable.

3. We reject as unlawful any assertion of sovereignty or control over the Strait of Hormuz by any State, and we oppose any regime of permits, transit tolls, or service fees imposed upon international shipping. No bilateral arrangement, understanding, or memorandum between States can unlawfully govern or restrict the right of passage through an international strait, which is guaranteed to all States under international law and cannot be subordinated to the control or permission of any State.

4. We express our full solidarity with the States affected by these attacks and with the seafarers of all nationalities placed in danger. An attack on the security of one is a concern for all who depend on the safety of this vital waterway.

5. We call upon Iran to cease immediately and unconditionally all attacks and all interference with maritime navigation; to keep the Strait of Hormuz open, sustainably and without condition, toll, or fee; and to comply fully with international law and with Security Council Resolution 2817. We reject the imposition of any unilateral or unlawful mechanism or arrangement affecting safe passage through the Strait. States must work within and support international and regional institutions responsible for maritime governance, safety, and security, particularly the International Maritime Organisation.

6. The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council will continue to coordinate closely to uphold freedom of navigation, to support the protection of international shipping and seafarers, and to advance a just and durable peace and security in the region, consistent with international law and the Charter of the United Nations.

7. We continue to call for restraint and reaffirm our unwavering commitment to dialogue and diplomacy as means to resolve the crisis and to uphold freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

19.07.2026 - 14:59 [ Egypt Today ]

EU, Gulf states call on Iran to unconditionally reopen Strait of Hormuz

CAIRO – 19 July 2026: The European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) on Saturday called on Iran to permanently reopen the Strait of Hormuz to international shipping without imposing any conditions or transit fees.

In a joint statement, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and the GCC presidency strongly condemned Iranian attacks on commercial vessels transiting the vital strait.

19.07.2026 - 14:51 [ Gulf Cooperation Council ]

HE GCCSG: Treacherous Iranian Regime‘s Targeting of Infrastructure and Civilian Facilities in Kingdom of Bahrain, State of Kuwait, and Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Constitutes War Crimes Requiring Immediate International Accountability

His Excellency Mr Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi, Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), condemned in the strongest terms the treacherous Iranian attacks that targeted the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, alongside the targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities, which resulted in the injury of a number of civilian workers in the State of Kuwait.

„Iran‘s actions constitute a highly dangerous escalation, a grave violation of international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, as well as war crimes requiring international accountability and prosecution, given the deliberate targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities in flagrant violation of all international norms and conventions, and a persistent determination to destabilise regional security and stability,“ His Excellency underlined.

Moreover, His Excellency stressed that the GCC stands as one with the Kingdom of Bahrain, the State of Kuwait, and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, supporting all measures they take to protect their security, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, while expressing his wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured individuals in the State of Kuwait.​

19.07.2026 - 09:43 [ Army-Technology.com ]

Why has Iran’s air defence network failed so badly?

(March 3, 2026)

For long-range defence, Iran has developed the Bavar-373 which has comparable capabilities to the Russian S-300. For short range air defence, the country has reverse engineered the Chinese HQ-7 as the Ya Zahr, and in 2021 the Zoubin system was unveiled.

Besides these copy cat systems, the country also leans on ageing Russian air defences, most notably the S-300PMU-2 battery.

However, Israel destroyed a significant number of these components in October 2024 and again during the 12-Day War the following year. Worse still, the Israeli Defence Forces learned all they can about the system in 2015 during joint air drills with Greece, which formerly operated its predecessor, the S-300PMU-1.

The exercise allowed Israel to develop comprehensive electronic warfare (EW) technologies specifically designed to compromise radars like those used with S-300 batteries: the Icebreaker missile and Haroop loitering munitions.

19.07.2026 - 08:56 [ HouseOfSaud.com ]

Third Strike on Prince Sultan and Still No HQ-9 Intercept

(July 18, 2026)

Pakistan deployed the HQ-9 battery to Saudi Arabia in May 2026 under the Strategic Mutual Defence Agreement, according to the Times of Islamabad and The Daily Star. The system is operated exclusively by Pakistani military personnel — not Saudi or American crews — and functions as a standalone package integrated with Pakistan’s own command-and-control architecture rather than with Saudi Arabia’s existing air defense network, according to Defence Security Asia reporting from May 2026. The Jerusalem Post noted that Pakistan “deploys the defenses as part of a package because of their interoperability with other Pakistani systems,” a formulation that carries an embedded concession: the HQ-9 is not interoperable with anything else at the base.

(…)

The HQ-9 family’s combat record is now the most extensively documented peacetime marketing success that has failed every wartime test it has faced. During Operation Sindoor in May 2025, Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighters launched two BrahMos-A air-launched cruise missiles at Pakistan’s Nur Khan Airbase near Rawalpindi, and Pakistan fired approximately 18 HQ-9B interceptors in response, according to Indian Defence Research Wing. The result was zero confirmed intercepts — both BrahMos missiles struck their targets, an 0-for-18 record that prompted Brandon J. Weichert, national security writer at The National Interest, to call the system “a Frankenstein’s Monster” reverse-engineered from Russian S-300 technology.

19.07.2026 - 08:45 [ Daily Pakistan ]

Iran’s strike on Sultan Air Base puts Pakistan-Saudi Defense Pact in spotlight

(July 18, 2026)

A report shared by Axios, said Iran allegedly fired a ballistic missile at a U.S. base in the Kingdom. Unverified videos circulating on social media purport to show a direct impact at Prince Sultan Air Base, though neither Washington nor Riyadh has officially confirmed the authenticity of the footage or the reported strike.

19.07.2026 - 08:35 [ Cryptobriefing.com ]

Iranian missiles fly over Amman, target US base in Saudi Arabia

(July 18, 2026)

Footage surfaced showing Iranian ballistic missiles flying over Amman, Jordan’s capital, reportedly targeting a U.S. military base in Saudi Arabia.

19.07.2026 - 08:04 [ Daily Pakistan ]

Pakistan Tells Iran Houthi Attacks on Saudi Arabia Cross a ‘Red Line’

(July 18, 2026)

Pakistan reportedly warned Iran that any attack by Iran-backed Houthis on Saudi Arabia would be viewed as an attack on Pakistan, reaffirming its defence commitment to the Kingdom.

The warning follows recent Houthi missile strikes on Saudi Arabia, raising fears of a broader regional escalation and placing Islamabad under growing strategic pressure.

19.07.2026 - 07:59 [ Quds News Network / X ]

Watch | A Palestinian child breaks down over the bodies of his father, mother, and three siblings after his family was wiped out in a deadly Israeli airstrike targeting a residential apartment in Gaza City’s Al-Nasr neighborhood earlier today.

(July 18, 2026)

19.07.2026 - 07:55 [ Al Jazeera ]

Israeli forces killed at least 11 people in Gaza on Saturday

“The family’s only surviving member is one child, who was not inside the house at the time of the strike,” Mahmoud Basal, spokesman for the agency, told the AFP news agency.

19.07.2026 - 07:51 [ Al Jazeera ]

US attacks killed at least 50 people in Iran since July 6: Health Ministry

(July 18, 2026)

Iran’s Health Ministry says US attacks on the country since July 6 have killed at least 50 people and wounded more than 500.

19.07.2026 - 07:15 [ Al Jazeera ]

Iran war live: US bomds Iran; Trump says killed soldiers ‘a sad thing’

The US launches new strikes on Iran after two American soldiers were killed in Iranian strikes in Jordan.
US President Donald Trump says the deaths were “a very sad thing”, adding that “we’re never allowing Iran to have a nuclear weapon”.

19.07.2026 - 07:00 [ CNN ]

Two US service members killed, one missing following Iranian strikes in Jordan

The deaths bring the number of US service members who have died in the nearly five-month conflict to 16, according to the US military’s defense casualty analysis system.