Israel Is Making Sure Trump Can’t Find an Off-Ramp in Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must have persuaded Donald Trump that a war on Iran would unfold much like the pager attack in Lebanon 18 months ago.

The two militaries would jointly decapitate the leadership in Tehran, and it would crumble just as Hezbollah had collapsed – or so it then seemed – after Israel assassinated Hassan Nasrallah, the Lebanese group’s spiritual leader and military strategist.

If so, Trump bought deeply into this ruse. He assumed that he would be the US president to “remake the Middle East” – a mission his predecessors had baulked at since George W Bush’s dismal failure to achieve the same goal, alongside Israel, more than 20 years earlier.

Netanyahu directed Trump’s gaze to Israel’s supposed “audacious feat” in Lebanon. The US president should have been looking elsewhere: to Israel’s colossal moral and strategic failure in Gaza.

There, Israel spent two years pummeling the tiny coastal enclave into dust, starving the population, and destroying all civilian infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.

Netanyahu publicly declared that Israel was “eradicating Hamas”, Gaza’s civilian government and its armed resistance movement that had refused for two decades to submit to Israel’s illegal occupation and blockade of the territory.

In truth, as pretty much every legal and human rights expert long ago concluded, what Israel was actually doing was committing genocide – and, in the process, tearing up the rules of war that had governed the period following the Second World War.

But two and a half years into Israel’s destruction of Gaza, Hamas is not only still standing, it is in charge of the ruins.

Israel may have shrunk by some 60 per cent the size of the concentration camp the people of Gaza are locked into, but Hamas is far from vanquished.

Rather, Israel is the one that has retreated to a safe zone, from which it is resuming a war of attrition on Gaza’s survivors.

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“Israeli Soldiers will Not Be Participating on the Ground.” – Israeli Official Says Israel Will Not Provide Ground Troops if US Forces Invade Iran

As President Trump deploys more troops to the Middle East and reportedly weighs a ground invasion of Iran, it’s being reported that Israel will not commit any ground troops to the potential mission. 

This comes as Trump threatens to escalate the war amid the deployment of thousands of additional troops and weighs his options to end the war or deploy boots on the ground. Trump has also given Iran until Monday, April 6, to stop blocking oil shipping in the Strait of Hormuz amid negotiations.

Trump said on Monday that he will escalate the war, targeting Iran’s energy and water infrastructure if they do not reach a deal and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. On the deployment of ground troops, Trump told reporters the day prior, “I just have lots of alternatives,” also noting, “we have tremendous numbers of ships over there.”

Trump later suggested that he will withdraw troops from the Middle East and force Europe, Asia, and the Gulf nations to deal with Iran’s blockade on the Strait of Hormuz after they refused his calls for help. “The U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us,” Trump said in a statement on Tuesday, offering to supply oil from the United States if the countries cannot “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”

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Israel retaliates against France

Israel’s Defense Ministry has announced retaliatory steps against France after US President Donald Trump openly criticized the European NATO member for refusing to allow access to its airspace for arms shipments being delivered to the Middle East.

Posting on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump described the French decision as “very unhelpful” to the US-Israeli war on Iran, adding that Washington “will remember” the move. France’s restriction on facilitating weapons transfers to Israel came alongside a broader embargo on arms sales to West Jerusalem introduced more than a year ago.

Israeli Defense Ministry Director-General Amir Baram stated in a Channel 12interview on Tuesday that he and Defense Minister Israel Katz aim to curb reliance on foreign arms suppliers, especially from countries such as France that Israel does not view as “friendly.”

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A Baron of Lies Turns the World Upside Down—and Loses

Comedians are being deprived of their creativity: to turn Trump’s remarks into slapstick, you only have to do one thing—nothing at all. If you just let him speak, he provides “top-notch” entertainment at the lowest possible level. Less amusing is the fact that the Western media, which purports to offer reporting and analysis, takes this utter nonsense seriously. If you follow experts in the West, you’ll rub your eyes and ears in disbelief. Never before have reporting and assessments been so riddled with nonsense and so far removed from reality. The people and media of the West, in their Diederich Hessling-like subservience, don’t even begin to realize that they are being led into disaster by the powerful in Israel and the US. Instead of preparing people for the fact that the West—above all Europe—is heading toward collapse and deprivation, rosy forecasts are being issued

Yet careful research certainly makes it possible to paint a realistic picture. This is a laborious task, as the entire West has conspired to lie to the world. Through censorship and AI, the circles that shape public opinion and shape policy have the means to make Western populations believe that the Israelis are the good guys and that the Americans will prevail. This is nothing new: there have always been only winners in a war. Thus, the Nazis tried to convince their people until 1945 that final victory was tantalisingly close. During the wars in Korea and Vietnam, the Americans “won,” and Russia has been “losing” in Ukraine for four years. And now the Americans and Israelis are “winning” in Iran, Lebanon, indeed throughout the entire Middle East.

The fact that this propaganda cannot be true is also evident from the fact that the claims are becoming increasingly fantastical—even the famous Baron Münchhausen would blush.

As always in my reporting, this is merely an attempt to describe and analyze the overall situation. Too many factors are at play simultaneously around the world, and when conducting an analysis, there is always a risk that one might omit certain facts—deeming them irrelevant to the overall trend—only to be proven wrong by reality later on.

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Trump, Israel React to France Blocking U.S. Planes From French Airspace

American and Israeli leaders excoriated the cowardly, treacherous French government for preventing American airplanes from flying through the country’s airspace with military supplies for beleaguered Israel.

As the Iranian regime continues to fire at civilian targets in Israel and other nations, and as the United States and Israel take on the world’s worst terror-sponsoring regime (Iran’s), French President Emmanuel Macron and his government are determined to be on the wrong side of history. 

Donald Trump pulled no punches. “The Country of France wouldn’t let planes headed to Israel, loaded up with military supplies, fly over French territory. France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran,’ who has been successfully eliminated! The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!” the president posted on Truth Social March 31.

The Israeli government immediately took action to punish the French government for their despicable decision. The Israeli Defense Ministry sent a statement to The Hill confirming:

The Director General of the Israel Ministry of Defense. Maj. Gen. (Res.) Amir Baram has decided to reduce all defense procurement from France to zero, replacing it with domestic Israeli procurement or purchases from allied countries.

France has taken a series of actions that have harmed Israel’s security and the operational capabilities of its defense industry…The Israel Ministry of Defense views the French government’s policy with serious concern, as it undermines security cooperation with Israel, a country that is actively operating on the front line against Iran and protecting the security of the Western world.

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Knesset passes law mandating death penalty for West Bank Palestinians convicted of terrorism

The Knesset votes 62-48 to pass a controversial law mandating the death penalty for West Bank Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly terror attacks.

The vote is a major victory for far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, which has long lobbied for the measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted for the bill.

“This is a day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies. No more revolving door for terrorists, but a clear decision. Whoever chooses terrorism chooses death,” says Ben Gvir in a statement.

the West Bank, November 18, 2025. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

The Knesset votes 62-48 to pass a controversial law mandating the death penalty for West Bank Palestinians convicted of carrying out deadly terror attacks.

The vote is a major victory for far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir’s Otzma Yehudit party, which has long lobbied for the measure. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu voted for the bill.

“This is a day of justice for the victims and a day of deterrence for our enemies. No more revolving door for terrorists, but a clear decision. Whoever chooses terrorism chooses death,” says Ben Gvir in a statement.Promoted: Jewish Crossroads, Roya HakakianKeep Watchin

The law, approved after nearly 12 hours of debate, mandates death by hanging as the default punishment for West Bank residents convicted of deadly terrorist acts by military courts. While judges can opt for life imprisonment under vaguely defined “special circumstances,” the death penalty would otherwise be mandatory.

The sentence would require a simple majority of judges rather than a unanimous decision, while eliminating any right of appeal.

The law will not apply retroactively, including to the perpetrators of the October 7 attacks, for which a separate bill is being advanced.

The law effectively enshrines capital punishment for Palestinians alone, as it explicitly excludes Israeli citizens or residents, and Palestinians alone are tried in military courts. Israelis are tried in civilian courts.

Though a separate provision allows courts to impose the death penalty on anyone, including Israeli citizens, it applies only to those who “intentionally cause the death of a person with the aim of denying the existence of the State of Israel” — a definition that in practice excludes Jewish terrorists.

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French masonic lodge at heart of murky murder trial

Twenty-two people went on trial in France on Monday on charges of murder and other serious crimes centred on members of a Masonic lodge accused of running hit squads.

Thirteen of the defendants face life imprisonment.

Those in the dock include four military personnel from France’s foreign intelligence service (DGSE), two police officers, a retired domestic intelligence officer, a security guard and two business executives.

They are accused of the murder of a racing driver, the attempted murders of a business coach and a trade unionist, aggravated assault and criminal conspiracy — all on behalf of a mafia network inside the former Athanor Masonic Lodge in the Paris suburb of Puteaux.

Several freemasons from the 20 or so members of the lodge are in the dock.

Most of the accused, aged between 30 and 73, have no previous criminal records.

The alleged ringleaders are Athanor freemasons Jean-Luc Bagur, Frederic Vaglio and Daniel Beaulieu. They face life in jail if convicted.

So does Beaulieu’s right-hand man Sebastien Leroy, who was not a member of the freemason lodge. He is accused of carrying out the trio’s dirty work himself or through a hitman network.

The case was triggered by a botched contract killing in July 2020, when two members of the military were arrested in possession of weapons near the home of business coach Marie-Helene Dini.

Under questioning, they said they thought they had been asked to murder Dini on behalf of the French state on the grounds that she worked for Israeli spy agency Mossad.

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IDF suspends entire reserve battalion after CNN crew attack, in unprecedented disciplinary move

An unprecedented decision by the Israel Defense Forces has seen an entire reserve battalion suspended from activity following an incident in which a CNN crew was attacked, sparking international outrage.

The IDF suspended all soldiers from Reserve 941st Battalion, known as “Netzah Yisrael,” whose members are graduates of the Netzah Yehuda framework.

The incident occurred while a CNN team was covering what was described as an illegal settler takeover of nearby land. According to reports, the journalists were confronted by IDF troops who attempted to halt their work, aimed weapons at them, and in one case placed a cameraman in a chokehold, damaging his equipment.

During the confrontation, soldiers reportedly told the journalists that all of the West Bank belongs to Jews and said they were seeking revenge for the killing of Yehuda Sherman, who police said was murdered in a ramming attack last Saturday.

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Who’s behind the mysterious ‘Iran-backed terror cell’ haunting Europe?

Claims that an Iran-backed group is carrying out attacks in European cities raise questions about why they’re not targeting countries directly involved in the US-Israeli war, and why they appear to communicate like Israelis.

Strangely, suspects arrested in the attacks have been released on bail.

A specter is haunting Europe – the specter of Ashab al-Yamin. Officially known as “Harakat Ashab al-Yamin al-Islamia (HAYI),” or the “Islamic Movement of the Companions of the Right,” the group mysteriously appeared in early March, and, according to mainstream media, it’s taking the continent by storm.

But a closer look at the supposedly Iran-backed terror organization suggests that it does not exist in any concrete form, and may be a confection of Israeli intelligence.

Though the nebulous HAYI claimed credit for torching ambulances belonging to a Jewish community organization in London on March 23, two suspects in the attack have been released on bail, and are not charged with any terror-related crimes. What’s more, London Metropolitan Police have so far refused to release the men’s names, raising questions about their identities. Were they even Muslim? 

HAYI’s first public mention in the West came on March 9, when the previously non-existent organization released a video showing an explosive device detonating outside a synagogue in Liege, Belgium, alongside a statement taking credit for the attack. Within hours, the group had somehow been identified by the “SITE Intelligence Group,” an Israeli-led private intelligence firm founded in the aftermath of Sept. 11 to cash in on the newly-minted Global War on Terror.

The materials HAYI published were promptly circulated on social media by Joe Truzman, a self-described “Senior Research analyst examining Palestinian armed groups and Iranian proxy organizations” at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies (FDD), a neoconservative DC-based think tank founded in 2001 with the stated goal of working to “enhance Israel’s image.” As The Grayzone reported, the Trump White House plagiarized its public justification for attacking Iran word-for-word from an FDD paper. 

Though Truzman declined to state where he’d found the materials, he wrote that “Telegram channels linked to the Axis of Resistance… widely disseminated the publications,” using a reference to a variety of resistance factions sympathetic to Iran and Palestine throughout the greater Middle East. The group he linked to, a popular Telegram channel called Sabereen News, made it clear they were reposting the video, which they said was the work of a group calling themselves “the companions.” 

Almost immediately, Truzman began asserting that these “companions” were all but guaranteed to be a Tehran-linked cutout. For starters, he told British media, “their logo with the wording is a sign of a classic Iranian front organization.” And Iran had already threatened to carry out just such a wave of attacks, Truzman claimed. After all, he wrote, “On March 8, Majid Takht-Ravanchi, Iran’s deputy-foreign minister, warned that if a European country joined the US and Israel in the current war against the Islamic Republic, it would be a ‘legitimate’ target ‘for Iranian retaliation.’”

Over the next two weeks, the shadowy group would go on to take credit for burning a vehicle in a Jewish neighborhood in Antwerp, arson at a synagogue in Rotterdam, explosions near a Jewish school and financial office building in Amsterdam, firebombing Jewish-dedicated ambulances in London, and an unspecified attack in Greece. 

So far, the only media outlet to have interviewed a member of HAYI is CBS News, which was recently purchased by David Ellison, the ultra-Zionist billionaire son of the largest individual donor to Israel’s military, Larry Ellison, who happens to be a close friend of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Bari Weiss, the editor-in-chief installed by Ellison at CBS, is a self-described “Zionist fanatic.”

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IDF Vet-Turned War Critic Explains Why Israel’s Military is on the Brink of Collapse

Israel has been fighting a multi-front war since 2023, with the backbone of its forces “based on its reserve battalions, on people that are civilians and that are called by the army to serve,” former IDF officer Guy Poran told Sputnik, commenting on a top general’s warning that the IDF risks “collapsing in on itself” from operational strain.

“Under normal circumstances, they serve 30 days or 45 days a year. Now, because of the war in Gaza” and other conflicts Israel has found itself in, “many of those reserve battalions, the fighting units of the IDF, have been called up for hundreds of days,” Poran, an ex-IAF helicopter pilot-turned peace activist, explained.

Many soldiers have businesses that are falling apart, problems with family life, etc.

Compounding the crisis are the exemptions to service that the Netanyahu government has given to members of the Ultra-Orthodox community. This has created “a big conflict” in Israeli society, according to Poran.

“And this during the time that the army has clearly said that it requires something like 15,000 more soldiers just to be able to do the missions that it has” in Gaza, Lebanon (for which a whopping five divisions have been mobilized), the West Bank, etc.

On top of that, there is the growing realization in society that these conflicts are “political,” and not existential, in nature, Poran says.

In contrast to the wars of 1967 and 1973, which most saw “as wars that were absolutely necessary,” the wars since 2023, initially met with enthusiasm, now face skepticism – from the sense that the “destruction of Gaza” was not carried out for security reasons, from the government’s rejections of a ceasefire to bring hostages home, etc.

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