Escalation: Iran, Russia, China To Hold Naval Drill In Flashpoint Strait Of Hormuz

Escalation: Iran, Russia, China To Hold Naval Drill In Flashpoint Strait Of Hormuz

TYLER DURDEN

Are Russia and China finally standing up to America's addiction to regime change wars in the Middle East? They appear to at least be flashing some muscle in this incredibly tense moment, as the US deploys no less than two nuclear-powered aircraft carriers to the region.

Russia, China, and Iran have deployed naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz for joint exercises this week, Russian presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev announced Tuesday, according to Anadolu and Iran state media. This comes as Iran's elite IRGC Navy is already in day two of military drills in the vital oil transit point, having closed some sectors of the chokepoint.

In a fresh interview with Turkish media, Patrushev said Moscow is advancing a "multipolar world order on the oceans" to counter what he blasted as Western hegemony.

"We will tap into the potential of BRICS, which should now be given a full-fledged strategic maritime dimension," he said. These fresh mid-February drills are being called Maritime Security Belt 2026.

It turns out Russian and Chinese warships have already been in the region as part of prior Iran-hosted drills, and without doubt they've lingered to keep a very close eye on developments after President Trump started threatening Tehran over its nuclear as well as ballistic missiles programs.

Also coming off last month's BRICS naval drills in South Africa which were dubbed "Will for Peace 2026" - Chinese, Russian, and Iranian ships have in recent years showed deepened coordination and cooperation, in an increased number of joint drills.

"The Maritime Security Belt 2026 exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, where Russia, China, and Iran sent their ships, proved to be relevant," he added.

If the US were to launch a 'surprise' attack on Iran, it remains unlikely that either Russia or China would come to Tehran's direct aid and engage militarily with Washington.

However, it's possible more Chinese and Russian ships would be sent to patrol flashpoint waters, making things more delicate and difficult in terms of US Navy maneuvering and firing.

Likely Moscow and Beijing would team up to issue a UN Security Council condemnation, and would seek to rally the globe against another Iraq-style war in the Middle East, with likely disastrous consequences for the whole region.

The second round of Iran-US talks wrapped up Tuesday in Geneva with mixed results. The Iranians have said the sides could be headed toward a new deal, and yet diplomats have admitted it was a heavy, and not very positive or amicable atmosphere. So things remain ultra-tense and charged, to say the least.

85 countries back statement condemning Israel for deepening its control of West Bank

85 countries back statement condemning Israel for deepening its control of West Bank

Jacob Magid

Eighty-five countries have signed on to a Palestinian-led joint statement condemning the recent security cabinet decisions aimed at tightening Israel’s control of the West Bank.

“We strongly condemn unilateral Israeli decisions and measures aimed at expanding Israel’s unlawful presence in the West Bank,” says the statement organized by the Palestinian Mission to the UN.

“Such decisions are contrary to Israel’s obligations under international law and must be immediately reversed. We underline in this regard our strong opposition to any form of annexation,” the countries add.

The measures passed by the security cabinet include steps making it easier for settlers to purchase West Bank land, while expropriating it from Palestinians who claim ownership.

The statement is backed by countries worldwide, spanning Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.

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Iran Launches War Drills In Hormuz Strait As US Carrier Is Flying Missions 24/7 Before Geneva Talks

Iran Launches War Drills In Hormuz Strait As US Carrier Is Flying Missions 24/7 Before Geneva Talks

LIVE DEVELOPMENTS 

Harbingers Daily

Iran launched live-fire naval exercises in the Strait of Hormuz on Monday in preparation for potential security and military threats in the strategic waterway, according to the country’s state-run IRNA news agency.

The drill, called “Smart Control of the Strait of Hormuz,” was led by the naval forces of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) under the supervision of IRGC Commander in Chief Maj. Gen. Mohammad Pakpour, according to Iran International.

State media said the exercise was organized to assess the readiness of operational units, review security plans and rehearse scenarios for responding to any security and military threats in the area.

The exercises came within hours of renewed diplomatic efforts starting in Geneva between the U.S. and Iran that are aimed at reviving negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program.

“I am in Geneva with real ideas to achieve a fair and equitable deal,” Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X on Monday “What is not on the table: submission before threats,” he said.

President Donald Trump has ordered a buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East and has threatened to strike Iran if its leadership does not agree to a deal on its nuclear program.

On Friday, Trump also offered an endorsement of regime change in Tehran and said it would be the “best thing that could happen” for Iran.

U.S. Central Command, or CENTCOM, went on to show U.S. military presence in the region Monday.

In a post on X, it shared images of EA-18G Growlers from Electronic Attack Squadron 133 and F-35C Lightning IIs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 preparing for launch from the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln.

“Operating in international waters in the Middle East, the aircraft carrier conducts around-the-clock flight operations in support of regional security,” the post said.

The Pentagon has been building up what Trump has described as an “armada” in the region.

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US sends over 50 fighter jets to Middle East in military buildup

US sends over 50 fighter jets to Middle East in military buildup

AMICHAI STEIN

The United States military has moved over 50 fighter jets to the Middle East in the last 24 hours as part of its buildup of air and naval assets near Iran, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a US official.

A host of F-16, F-22, and F-35 jets were observed heading to the Middle East by independent flight trackers.

The American military buildup comes amid indirect negotiations with Iranian officials, focusing on Iran's nuclear program. 

A US official told The Jerusalem Post that progress was made in talks held in Geneva earlier on Tuesday, stressing that many details "still need to be discussed."

The official said Iran relayed that it would make detailed proposals in the next two weeks to close gaps with the US. "The Iranians said they would come back in the next two weeks with detailed proposals to address some of the open gaps in our positions," the official told the Post.

"There were good meetings, but the gaps are still wide. There's still a lot of work to be done to reach an agreement."

Last week, American media outlets reported that the US will send its largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, to bolster its forces in the Middle East ahead of an anticipated clash with Iranian forces.

The USS Gerald R. Ford and its escort ships had previously been deployed in the Caribbean and, according to four anonymous US officials, were informed of their new destination on Thursday. 

The USS Abraham Lincoln, as well as other notable air and naval assets, were already deployed to the area in January. 

Things To Come: The Eyes Of Antichrist

The Eyes of Antichrist

Tom Gilbreath

Antichrist will briefly rule the world with a level of control unlike anything before. Consider the mark of the beast money system described in Revelation 13:17. “No one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.”

 

That’s control! For centuries, Christian scholars couldn’t imagine such a thing being possible, so they tried to think of what it might “really mean.” And it wasn’t possible… not yet. Primarily because we still use cash, it’s still not possible. The difference is that today we are watching a cashless, global monetary system being built before our eyes. 

 

The fulfillment of this prophecy and others will require night and day monitoring of entire populations. In George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four, signs saying, “BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU” were everywhere. The novel depicts a society in which the government has “telescreens” in every household. The “telescreens” are bi-directional. They send programs and information into homes, but they also have cameras and microphones in order to remotely see and hear inside those homes. 

 

Orwell’s “telescreens” sound a lot like today’s smart televisions. But we really don’t have to say “smart TV” anymore because practically all new TVs connect to the internet, have at least one camera, and usually more than one microphone. In that way they are like our telephones, cars, and many appliances. As far as we know, they’re not being monitored by the government, but your words and images are being sent out over the internet. Imagine such tools in the hands of a totalitarian government. 

 

In Orwell’s story, “Big brother is watching you” was a bluff. Orwell said, “There was of course no way of knowing whether you were being watched at any given moment.” Someone might be watching, but probably not. To monitor just one person 24 hours a day would take three people working 8-hour shifts and never taking time off. That has made it impossible to surveil everyone… until now.

 

Artificial Intelligence never takes a day off. It never goes on break. It feels no sympathy. It watches, listens, and never stops. It can be trained to flag signs of subversion, or what its programmers consider “hate.” Even now, those who call sin “sin” are labeled “haters.” With this label, a government can attack anyone its leaders don’t like or see as a threat — like Christians.

 

Today in Europe, governments use the label “hate” to censor speech that European leaders don’t like. The EU is trying to bend X (formerly Twitter) to its will by using enormous fines because the owner of X, Elon Musk, refuses to censor comments the EU doesn’t like. This is meant to intimidate, not just X, but all such firms. As Europe’s choices reduce its wealth and influence, its leaders fear that the people will grow restless. Increasingly, those leaders cling to power by trying to silence the voices of dissent.

 

The Bible describes Antichrist starting in Europe and coming to lead a global totalitarian government. It will control finances down to the smallest transaction. It will squash dissent for a level of control more complete than any government in history. The Bible prophesied a worldwide surveillance state long before science made it possible.