China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability

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China is demanding domestic oil refiners stop exporting fuel and renegotiate or cancel existing contracts as the conflict in Iran threatens the communist nation’s crude supplies.

Officials from China’s National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), responsible for planning the nation’s economy, ordered oil executives to stop exporting refined fuel, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday. The stockpiling comes as U.S. and Israeli military forces continue strikes on Iran as part of Operation Epic Fury. China is the world’s top oil importer and one of Iran’s top trade partners, reportedly purchasing over 90% of the Islamic Republic’s crude oil between 2024 and 2025.

The communist country also imports 30% of its liquefied natural gas and 40% of its oil through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran effectively closed at the start of the conflict. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned that any ships belonging to Western allies “will certainly be hit,” and although the Strait remains open for China, oil tankers are beginning to avoid the conflict zone. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that three “very large crude carriers” turned away from the Persian Gulf, attempting to avoid the increasing instability in the region.

China is one of Asia’s three biggest oil exporters, shipping over 43 billion barrels of oil in 2023. Beijing exports billions of dollars worth of refined oil to countries in southeast Asia including Singapore and the Philippines, meaning a freeze on exports will likely create price instability in the region. (Read more from “China Slashes Fuel Exports As War In Iran Magnifies Key Vulnerability” HERE)

Russia blames Ukrainian naval drones as tanker sinks in Mediterranean

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A Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker has sunk in the Mediterranean between Libya and Malta after it was hit by explosions and a fire, Libyan port officials have said.

Russia accused Ukraine of targeting the Arctic Metagaz with “uncrewed sea drones” launched from the Libyan coast.

Ukraine’s SBU state security service has not commented on the allegation and the Libyan port authority said the cause of the fire was unclear.

The Libyans said the tanker was carrying about 62,000 tonnes of LNG before the blasts and that it sank about 130 nautical miles (240km) north of the Libyan port of Sirte.

Russia’s transport ministry said 30 Russians were aboard the Arctic Metagaz. Maltese Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said they were all found “safe and sound in a lifeboat” during a rescue operation by Malta’s armed forces. (Read more from “Russia blames Ukrainian naval drones as tanker sinks in Mediterranean” HERE)

Ayatollah Khamenei’s Son Is Frontrunner to Succeed Dad as Iran’s New Supreme Leader: Report

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The son of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is the frontrunner to replace him as supreme leader, according to reports.

Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, is currently favored to take control of Iran by the country’s Assembly of Experts, a powerful body of clerics that makes the decision, the New York Times reported while citing sources close to the deliberations.

Other outlets – including Israeli media and Iranian opposition channels – were reporting early Tuesday that Mojtaba had already been selected, though Iranian state media has not confirmed anything.

The report was widely being picked up by Israeli media but had not been confirmed by Iranian state mouthpieces.

Mojtaba was at first believed to have been among the 40 top Iranian aides killed during the Saturday strike that took out Iran’s highest-ranking cleric. (Read more from “Ayatollah Khamenei’s Son Is Frontrunner to Succeed Dad as Iran’s New Supreme Leader: Report” HERE)

CIA Station in Saudi Arabia Housed Within US Embassy in Riyadh Hit By Iran Drone Attack: Report

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A suspected Iranian drone strike hit the CIA station housed within the US Embassy in Riyadh on Tuesday, according to two people familiar with the matter quoted by The Washington Post. The US and Saudi Arabia confirmed that two drones struck the embassy compound but did not disclose that the CIA’s station was affected.

An internal alert from the United States Department of State, obtained by The Washington Post, said the attack “collapsed” part of the embassy’s roof and “contaminated” interior areas with smoke. The notice said the compound had sustained “structural damage” and that personnel “continue to shelter in place”. The extent of the damage was not immediately clear, and there was no indication that any CIA staff were injured.

While the reported strike represents a setback for the agency’s operations in the kingdom, former CIA officers said such disruptions can be managed.

“Drawdowns are a part of the business,” one former officer who served in the Middle East said, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss the agency’s work. “The local liaison relationship is so tight I think the Saudis will roll out the red carpet” to accommodate personnel, the former officer added. “There’s a lot of redundancy built into these things.”

Iran has long viewed the CIA as a hostile actor, citing Washington’s covert backing of the 1953 military coup that removed the country’s elected prime minister. (Read more from “CIA Station in Saudi Arabia Housed Within US Embassy in Riyadh Hit By Iran Drone Attack: Report” HERE)

China Is Refusing to Help Iran Fight, but Is Offering This Instead

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As we enter the fifth day of Operation Epic Fury, few people — outside of Democrats and their Leftist allies — are really going to bat for the Iranian regime.

This includes China, who is reportedly not going to offer Iran, a major supplier of oil to the communist nation, any material support. China does, however, offer Iran “moral backing.”

We suppose that’s better than offering them cheap, ineffective military equipment. After all, failed Chinese-made radar helped the U.S. capture Nicolas Maduro back in January.

Iran is hoping so.

That’s more accurate.

(Read more from “China Is Refusing to Help Iran Fight, but Is Offering This Instead” HERE)

Israeli PM Laughs Off Claim Trump Is Being ‘Dragged’ Into War With Iran

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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu assured Americans on Monday that there won’t be an “endless war” in the Middle East as the United States and Israel continue striking the Iranian regime.

“You’re not going to have an endless war,” Netanyahu told Fox News’ Sean Hannity in an exclusive interview. “This terror regime in Iran is at the weakest point that it’s been since it hijacked Iran from the brave Iranian people 47 years ago. So this is going to be a quick and decisive action. And we’re going to create the conditions first for the Iranian people to get control of their destiny, to form their own democratically elected government, which will make a different Iran altogether.”

Netanyahu insisted that the destruction of the Iranian regime would pave the way for “many peace treaties” with other Muslim countries in the region and that it would “change the world.”

Netanyahu specifically cited Saudi Arabia as a nation he believes has “a lot to gain” from the Iranian regime’s fall and that peace between Saudi Arabia and Israel will be “very close” as a result.

“So this is a gateway for peace, for broader peace. And I believe that we can achieve it,” Netanyahu continued. “The most important thing to understand is that when we work together, President Trump and I, we achieved, in fact, four breakthroughs for peace. Brokered by President Trump working together with me, we brokered — we brought forward the Abraham Accords, which was four peace treaties with four Arab countries. And now working together against Iran, we will be able to bring many, many more peace treaties. So this is not an endless war. This is a gateway to peace. It’s the exact opposite of what people are saying.” (Read more from “Israeli PM Laughs Off Claim Trump Is Being ‘Dragged’ Into War With Iran” HERE)

US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Hit in Suspected Iranian Drone Attack: Reports

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The US Embassy in Saudi Arabia’s capital city of Riyadh was damaged in a suspected Iranian drone attack Monday night.

The embassy was hit by two drones, “resulting in a limited fire and minor material damage to the building,” a spokesperson for the Saudi defense ministry wrote on X.

A loud blast was heard, and a small fire was seen at the embassy, Reuters reported.

“The U.S. Mission to Saudi Arabia has issued a shelter in place notification for Jeddah, Riyadh and Dhahran and are limiting non-essential travel to any military installations in the region,” a “security alert” posted by the Riyadh embassy on X read.

“We recommend American citizens in the Kingdom to shelter in place immediately.” (Read more from “US Embassy in Saudi Arabia Hit in Suspected Iranian Drone Attack: Reports” HERE)

Ancient Time Capsule Unearthed in Iraq Reveals New Details That Corroborate the Bible

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A Babylonian ‘time capsule’ buried for more than two millennia under the ruins of a ziggurat in modern-day Iraq has revealed never-before-seen details about the biblical king Nebuchadnezzar II.

Two cylinders bearing a royal inscription were buried as ‘foundation deposits’ – ritual objects buried under ancient buildings as a divine blessing believed to ensure the structure’s longevity.

The cylinders, each made of baked clay, were originally unearthed at the ruins of the temple in the ancient city of Kish, one of the most important cities in Mesopotamia.

Two locals who found the relics at the Kish archeological site named Tell Al-Uhaimir handed them to the State Board of Antiquities and Heritage in 2013. The new findings about what was inscribed on the cylinders were revealed in December.

The cylinders offered a new perspective on Nebuchadnezzar II, a historical figure who was an agent of destruction in the Bible. The king of the Neo-Babylonian Empire ruled from 605BC to 562BC. (Read more from “Ancient Time Capsule Unearthed in Iraq Reveals New Details That Corroborate the Bible” HERE)

Three F-15E Eagles Downed in Kuwait in ‘Friendly Fire Incident’, Pilots Eject Safely Says Local Authorities

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Following earlier reports of fighter jets downed over Kuwait, CENTCOM has confirmed the loss of three F-15E Strike Eagle fighters around 0700 Kuwait time (2303 Eastern). The aircraft were engaged in “active combat” in support of Operation Epic Fury against “Iranian aircraft, ballistic missiles, and drones” and were shot down “over Kuwait due to an apparent friendly fire incident”.

They said: “the U.S. Air Force fighter jets were mistakenly shot down by Kuwaiti air defenses.”

CENTCOM confirmed what had earlier been said by the Kuwaiti authorities that “All six aircrew ejected safely, have been safely recovered, and are in stable condition”.

The American authorities added: “Kuwait has acknowledged this incident, and we are grateful for the efforts of the Kuwaiti defense forces and their support in this ongoing operation.

The cause of the incident is under investigation. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.” (Read more from “Three F-15E Eagles Downed in Kuwait in ‘Friendly Fire Incident’, Pilots Eject Safely Says Local Authorities” HERE)

China Denounces U.S. as ‘War Addict’ for Strikes on Iran

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The Chinese Defense Ministry on Saturday denounced the United States as a “war addict” for launching strikes on Iran, while more temperate Chinese government organs called for an immediate cease-fire.

“The U.S. is a war addict. Throughout its over 240-year history, it has been at war for all but 16 years,” said a Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman at a press conference in Beijing in remarks spread by social media accounts linked to the Chinese government.

“The U.S. has 800 overseas military bases in over 80 countries and regions. The U.S. is the main cause of international disorder, global turbulence, and regional instability,” the spokesman said.

The state-controlled China Daily wrote an editorial on Saturday saying that American and Israeli action against Iran “ignores international law” and “follows a pattern of increasing belligerence.” (Read more from “China Denounces U.S. as ‘War Addict’ for Strikes on Iran” HERE)