Trump Downplays Iran's Attacks Targeting US Bases In Kuwait & Bahrain: 'They Were Slightly Provoked'

The High Man In The Castle By Michael Every of Rabobank The world is again waiting to see what comes out of US-Iran peace talks in Pakistan as the two-week ceasefire deadline looms. Again, it’s a binary outcome: war, with threatened strikes on bridges and power plants in Iran, then perhaps regionally, and an extended closure of Hormuz; or peace, and energy and key goods flowing again. The markets have decided peace will be the outcome. Because markets. Yes, there are times when bad news logically justifies a rally, e.g., in a...

Mohammed bin Salman Is More At Risk Internally Than From Houthi Attacks Authored by Alastair Crooke As part of its “blockade-for-blockade,” “airport-for-airport” strategy, Ansarallah carried out a third attack on Riyadh International Airport on Saturday — 12 people (mostly civilians) were killed and more than 300 injured. This, in tandem with Iran’s escalating attacks on tankers, and expanding its maritime operations, immediately increases the pressures on President Trump to respond — at the precise moment when midterm elections loom. As the military conflict between Yemen and Saudi Arabia continues, the latter has...

Burning Container Ship Sinks In Strait Of Hormuz, As IRGC Proclaims '5 Or 6' Vessels Targeted Nightly Iran has quite obviously been surging its attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to wreak uncertainty and economic havoc for the Trump administration ahead of the November midterm elections, undermining a recent recovery in Persian Gulf oil shipments. The attacks are now coming so frequently it is difficult to deep track. One source tallies of recent days, "Twelve vessels were attacked between October 5 and 11, including six on...