Transcript [00:00] Suddenly, is this the end of the war in the Middle East? It was reported that Iran and the [00:07] United States are heading towards a dramatic agreement. Let's take a closer look at what's [00:13] happening. Trump is in a ceasefire, but Iran continues to attack in the Strait of Hormuz. Okay, [00:22] today together I'm trying to understand what's happening. Who's Trump talking to? [00:29] And is there a chance to map all the different forces that are operating in Iran right now? So [00:37] what is being done behind the cancellation of the operation against Iran? Are the powers of [00:44] evil tightening their relations? China and Iran on one front before Trump's meeting in China. I'm [00:53] Pinto and with me is Mati Shashani and we are on boots on the ground bringing you the whole [00:58] truth about what's happening in Israel and also the whole truth about what's happening in our [01:03] neighborhood the Middle East. Iran and the United States are heading towards a dramatic agreement. [01:10] The United States and Iran are getting closer to our memorandum of understanding that will freeze [01:17] the uranium enrichment, gradually remove the sanctions and open intensive nuclear negotiations [01:25] under tight supervision alongside the opening of the Strait of Hormuz in the White House. [01:31] They believe that a framework memorandum is close to being finalized and there they are waiting for [01:40] corrections that are supposed to arrive within 48 hours from the Iranians. According to the report, [01:48] this is the closest stage the sides have been to an agreement since the beginning [01:53] of the war and afterwards a more detailed negotiations will be set on the nuclear issue. [02:00] The American president stated that progress in the context led to stopping the naval move in order to [02:08] understand whether an agreement can be signed. But in practice, the decision may have dramatic [02:14] security implications. While the straight of Hamuz remains closed and the uranium has not left Iran, [02:22] it's still dug underneath the ground of the rebels of the strikes in Isahan and Natans, their nuclear [02:28] facilities. While Trump signals that he does not intend to renew the fighting despite the attacks [02:35] from Iran, in Islam, we are trying to understand where the campaign is heading and we know that in [02:42] the end the United States will decide. So while the White House believes it is getting closer to [02:49] understandings with Thran to end this war, still more and more very large military mil forces of [02:58] the United States are arriving in this region. And what do we know about the agreement? That amongst [03:06] the clauses that are being revealed, they're talking about an Iranian commitment to freeze the [03:12] uranium enrichment, to freeze the sponsorship of the proxies, an American agreement to remove the [03:21] sanctions on the other side, and a mutual removal of the restrictions on the passage through Homus. [03:30] Many of the conditions in the memorandum depend on a final agreement that is being achieved which [03:36] leaves the possibility of renewing this war and on the table negotiations are heading with a loaded [03:45] gun. In its current form, the agreement will declare the beginning of 30 days of negotiations. [03:53] But you probably want to know what's happening on the ground or more accurately in the waters. [03:59] Despite the the administration's statements about a ceasefire, the Strait of Homus is far from [04:06] quiet. The chairman of the joint chief of staffs, the United States, confirmed in a briefing held [04:13] last night that since the ceasefire went into effect, Iran has attacked US forces more than [04:19] 10 times. The incident includes fire towards the American warships as well as nine attacks against [04:27] commercial vessels. Last Monday, two American commercial ships were attacked while crossing [04:33] the straight of Homus when it was revealed for the first time that American military security [04:39] teams have been placed on board as a preventative defensive measure as part of the operation. In [04:47] the naval arena, the clashes have become direct and deadly. American AH64 Apache and MH60 Shiha [04:58] combat helicopters destroyed six fast boats of the revolutionary guards after they threatened the [05:05] commercial ships. The president made clear that the naval blockade on Iran remains in full force. [05:11] The American Secretary of State Marco Rubio added that the United States will not allow Iran to hold [05:17] the global economy as a hostage, especially under a nuclear threat. Well, something that needs to [05:24] be said out loud. Everyone talks at Trump and asks, "Is this guy crazy? Is he exaggerating? [05:32] Is he just throwing out threats?" But maybe that's exactly the point. For years, Iran and its proxies [05:40] threatened Israel in the language of the Middle East. He will erase Tel Aviv. We will destroy [05:47] Israel. We will burn the region. And then Trump comes along and instead of answering them in the [05:54] language of international conferences, he answers them in the exact language that they understand. [06:02] Only reversed. If you touch American ships, Iran will be wiped off the face of the earth. In other [06:09] words, Trump may not speak Persian, but he has definitely started speaking Middle Eastern, and it [06:17] is driving the Iranians crazy. With Europe, they know how to buy time. With the United Nations, [06:22] they know how to talk about diplomacy. With Israel, they know the game of threats. But [06:28] with Trump, it is harder for them. One moment he threatens, the next moment he talks about a deal. [06:35] Right after that he opens the straight of Homus and then he throws out another sentence that sends [06:40] the Iran into an emergency meeting. The Iranians cannot identify their boss. They can do not know [06:47] how to deal with the United States president. They do not have their usual pressure points on him. He [06:55] jumps from side to side, trolls them, and leaves them with celebrations of a fake victory while the [07:01] economic rope around the regime only gets tighter. And that's the truly important point everyone is [07:08] now asking. When will the fire open again? When Israel will and when the United States will [07:16] enter another military phase. But war is not only missiles and planes. War is also blockade money, [07:24] fuel, export, maritime insurance, inflation, a shortage of oil storage, and above all, [07:32] the regime's fear of its own people. The military effort of Israel and the United States has a glass [07:39] ceiling. There is no intention to occupy Iran. Therefore, the revolutionary guards can always [07:45] fire something else, release another video and tell their public, "Look, we are still standing [07:52] against America." We have seen this for years with terrorist organizations. In the Middle East, [07:59] sometimes it's enough to stay alive in order to declare a historic victory. But the Naval Bade is [08:07] a different story. This is not only the Strait of Horus. This is a broad pressure on Iran's ports, [08:14] on exports, on revenues, and on the regime's ability to hold an entire country during war. [08:20] Iran is losing income. Inflation is raging. The revolutionary guards still need money, fuel, [08:27] salaries, and loyalty. And if Iran cannot export oil, then there is also a storage problem. When [08:34] there is nowhere to store oil, they have to start closing wells. And that's already technically and [08:41] economically damage that is hard to reverse quickly. In other words, while everyone is [08:47] waiting for the big question, the big explosion, it is possible that the real explosion is actually [08:53] economic. And that's what the regime is trying to hide through propaganda. It screams outward [09:00] because it is afraid inward. In the background, there are reports of internet disruptions, [09:07] civilian pressure, and fear of renewed protests. In recent weeks, there have also been reports [09:13] of an increase in the pace of executions of the detainees from the previous protests. Regimes do [09:21] not increase repression when they are calm. They do they do it when they are afraid that the street [09:27] will wake up. That's why we need to stop standing with a stopwatch. Since the beginning of Epic [09:34] Fury, everyone has been asking when is the next stage, when is the strike, when is the explosion. [09:41] But maybe the right question is not when they shoot again. The question is whether the current [09:47] pressure is already working. If the naval blockade is choking the regime, if the economy is eroding, [09:54] if exports are being damaged, and if the public is starting to get angry, this is not a pause [10:00] in the war. This is another stage of this war, a stage that requires time. And the Iranian regime [10:06] is not only afraid of the fighter jets. It's afraid of the Iranian street. It's afraid of the [10:12] citizens who understand that their money is being burned in Gaza, in Lebanon, in Yemen, in Iraq, [10:19] and in a nuclear program that brings them poverty, isolation, and war. That is why the idea Trump [10:27] hinted at stronger support for the Iranian people could be a real strategic direction. Not just a [10:35] tweet, not just a slogan, but an organized effort, free communication, breaking the internet blocks, [10:43] consistent messaging, support for civilians, opposition, and increasing pressure on the [10:48] regime's mechanisms. Because the goal is not only to make Iran stop shooting today. The goal [10:55] is to change the equation in which the same regime arms itself, threatens, exports, and then demands [11:02] prizes in order to calm down. The current regime is not a normal negotiating partner. It will not [11:11] really allow a new regional order. It will not voluntarily give up the tools through which it [11:17] controls and threatens. Therefore, precisely now when it is weak, it is right to think more [11:24] broadly. The naval blockade needs to continue. The economic pressure needs to increase. The support [11:31] for the Iranian people needs to be clearer and the military effort needs to remain in the background, [11:40] not instead of the strategy, but as a tool that completes it. Trump may sometimes sound [11:46] like a like he threw the diplomacy book out of the window, but in the Middle East, sometimes the one [11:53] who speaks the least politely is the one that they understand. And today, the Iranians understand one [12:01] thing very clear. They are no longer facing a predictable system. They're facing a president [12:09] who confuses them, a blockade that is choking them, a street that may wake up against them, [12:16] and a possibility that once sounded far away, that this regime will not only be weakened, but fall. [12:23] Against the background of the reports that the United States is getting closer to an agreement [12:27] with Iran, oil prices are plunging. Global oil prices are plunging against the background of US [12:35] President Donald Trump's announcement that he is temporarily suspending the operation in the Strait [12:41] of Hormuz alongside reports that the White House believes it is getting closer to an agreement [12:47] with Iran on a memorandum of understanding. A barrel of crude oil is trading at around $92, [12:57] a drop about drop of about 10%. Brent is trading at around $100, a drop of about 8.5%. And what [13:07] about the reports that Iran is one year away from an atomic bomb, the enriched uranium, [13:13] the rough the rogue centrifuges, and the difficulty of making progress from the air [13:19] today. And we will bring you a situation picture on the Iranian nuclear program. Israel and the [13:27] United States bombed thousands of targets in Iran in two rounds of fighting over the past year, but [13:33] American intelligence estimates that the current campaign has not moved Iran further away from a [13:39] nuclear bomb. Everyone knows about the enriched uranium, but apparently there are also many [13:45] centrifuges that remain on Iranian territory and keep it close to a bomb. But on the other hand, [13:52] there is not really much more to bomb from the air after the thorough work of the Americans and the [14:01] Israeli air forces against the regime. And in the Middle East, there are power games in the Arabian [14:06] Gulf. Today, the crazy punishment of the Emiratis against the countries that refused to support them [14:12] during the attack from Iran was revealed. There is currently peak tension between bin Xiad and bin [14:18] Salman. The United Arab Emirates is applying sanctions on Pakistan and Egypt, including [14:25] deportation measures and visa restrictions, while Saudi Arabia is offering alternative economic and [14:31] political support. And we will soon explain how the two largest countries in oil exports [14:38] are clashing with each other. It has now been revealed that in the past month, the secret [14:44] fortress of the Houthis was destroyed with deadly precision. A series of powerful explosions shook [14:52] strategic Houthi compounds in Sana and southern Yemen over the past month. According to reports, [14:58] a joint Iranian operation rooms and ballistic missile assembly sites used to attack vessels [15:05] were hit. The interesting part is that no one has taken responsibility for the complex operation [15:11] that struck this terrorist organization and we will soon bring you all the details. I'm Pinto. [15:18] With me is Mati Shashani. We are boots on the ground bringing you the whole truth about what's [15:23] happening in Israel. And this is day zero of the war against the revolutionary guards because epic [15:30] fury has ended according to Donald Trump and they are the head of the crumbling axis of evil in this [15:38] region. So one second before we begin. I want to call on you to continue spreading the truth. Share [15:44] our content with as many people as possible and make sure to click the subscribe button so that [15:50] you never miss another update of boots on the ground. You can also look for me Pinto and for [15:55] Mati Shashani to get our perspective behind the scene of what it's like to live in Israel [16:00] in this war. So, our senior Middle East affairs correspondent Mati Shushani. Are the Gulf states [16:07] beginning to understand that they can no longer sit on the fence against Iran, especially after [16:12] the attacks on the Emiratis and the fear that Washington will not always respond immediately? [16:18] Yes, I think that is a great question. Both the Gulf states and many of the European states are [16:24] waking up in the last couple of months to a new reality. a reality in which they understand that [16:29] they can't expect someone else to do their dirty work, to do the peacekeeping in their region, [16:35] and to fight their fights every single time. For generations at this point, both western states [16:41] and the Gulf States have become accustomed to the fact that anytime they need the person, [16:45] the entity that does the heavy lifting for them is the United States. And that reality, [16:50] especially facing the current evil that is the Iranian Ayatollah regime. Well, that reality [16:56] reality no longer exists. Definitely not in the way that people imagined it or understood it [17:02] just several months ago. A couple of days ago, we got a demonstration of exactly that. The Iranians [17:09] launched missiles on the Emiratis. They hit a bunch of targets including well-known targets that [17:14] are iconic landmarks within uh the Emirates within Dubai for instance. Uh and the United States [17:21] didn't directly respond to that. Uh and the United States also responded publicly saying look that [17:26] wasn't enough for us to justify a restart or rein the hostilities of the attacks directly on Iran. [17:35] Now, the US did fight Iran and the US did diminish the fighting power of Iran and it is patrolling [17:40] the area and it has assets in the air and on the ground and around the Emirates. But that answer, [17:46] that solution that the United States gives these countries doesn't fully doesn't completely [17:51] encompass every scenario in which the Iranians or someone else attacks these countries. and they are [17:57] waking up to a reality that is long overdue. Let's say it that way. Uh in which they need [18:03] to start fighting also their own wars. Where do we see this? The Emiratis and the Saudis have [18:09] a substantial air force bought with the best of their money from the best of what the Americans [18:14] can make. They have also terrestrial armies that are able to fight. And yet who did all [18:19] the fighting in this war? Aside from one symbolic attack by the Emiratis, it was the United States [18:25] in Israel that fought against the Iranians. And we need to be clear here. The Iranians struck mostly [18:31] at Gulf States. Most of the missiles in this war were aimed at the Emirates, not in Israel. [18:36] Even though the news might tell you a different story. And that's the reality we're facing right [18:41] now. A reality in which if you don't protect yourself, you can't be guaranteed that someone [18:46] else will solve all of your problems. This, by the way, doesn't apply only to the Amiradis or to [18:52] other Gulf states. This applies also to European countries. Uh the NATO members who for decades [18:57] have been expecting the United States to fight their war, to fend off the uh Russian threat, [19:02] to fend off whatever other threat comes their way. And here we're in a reality where Trump [19:07] looks at them and says, "Guys, you haven't been living living up to your expectation. You haven't [19:11] been living up to what the treaty requires as far as your contributions as part of a national GDP. [19:18] you should do more to protect your safety or we will not guarantee uh to intervene and to [19:23] fight on your behalf. But specifically, if we're focused on what's happening in the Middle East, [19:28] Israel is the example of how you're supposed to address your enemies after October 7th. I [19:33] need to add that asterisk in there and say that if you have an army, and we do have an army, [19:38] and so do they. So do the Amiradis. So the Sa so do the Saudis. So do the Qataris. They have an [19:44] army. They have an air force. If you have an army and you're faced with an existential threat that [19:49] is promising, not sane, promising that they plan to destroy you and your way of life, well, you [19:55] need to fight for yourself and you need to stand up for yourself and you need to put down your foot [20:00] when it matters and fight against your enemies. We are watching and I need to say this clearly, [20:05] we're watching a reshuffleling and a restructuring of the power balance in the world, not just in the [20:12] Middle East right now. and every country that has not gotten the memo yet, now is the time, guys, [20:17] to understand that things today are not the way they were in the past. And it is time for you to [20:23] fight for yourself, to put money into defense, to put time and assets into training your soldiers. [20:28] And when the time comes to stand up the bully to the bully of your generation of your time, [20:34] be it the Iranians, be it the Russians in the case of Ukraine, you need to stand up and fight. [20:39] Someone else, Israel or the United States, they might intervene. It's not their responsibility. [20:44] It is those countries responsibility to fight for themselves and protect themselves. And I think a [20:50] lot of countries are waking up now and realizing that they've been heavily reliant on someone else [20:54] to do their dirty work for too long. And now it's time for them to take action. One last thing here, [21:01] the United States, if you think this, hasn't weakened in its treaty or relationship to [21:06] the countries in the Gulf. On the contrary, it has proven it's the only country with which an [21:11] alliance is worthwhile. You had an alliance with NATO, useless right now. Uh in the Middle East, [21:17] you had an alliance with anyone else, the Russians, the Chinese, they themselves can't [21:21] move their ships out of the region. The only country who is able and willing, which is two [21:26] important components, to put boots on the ground, ships in the water, jets in the sky, and actually [21:31] fight a war, well, that's the United States and of course the small state of Israel. And anyone [21:36] that wants a strong partner, a strong friend that can manufacture and deploy weapons and soldiers, [21:42] well, they know who that partner is in the Middle East now and in years to come. Mati, does the [21:47] suspension of Project Freedom endanger the trust that the allies have in the United States? Or is [21:54] Trump simply managing the war at a pace that no one in the region is used to? Okay, let's [21:59] talk about Project Freedom for just a second. I think this is where things get interesting and [22:04] it's also hard to really understand why and how Trump is doing different things. First, [22:08] what were the real actions? The real actions were the US pushed several large ships, [22:13] destroyers, through the street of humus, through the existing or non-existing minefields, firing at [22:19] Iranian targets, uh suppressing Iranian fire, both drones, ballistic missiles, anti-hship missiles, [22:26] uh and speedboats that were going towards those ships to stop them and then escorted out several [22:31] US flagged carriers uh or let's call it large vessels that were in the straight of Hummus [22:37] through the straight of Humus. was the beginning and the majority of what was operation freedom. [22:42] But what's important here, what is uh something we can deduct from here is the fact that the [22:48] Trump administration is willing to do things quickly, violently, and effectively in a manner [22:54] that other countries don't always understand and usually don't see coming. Let me explain. if he [23:01] needed to make a point, and there was a point that needed to be made here, that they're able to break [23:06] the blockade imposed by the Iranians, that was done. Imagine this. The Iranians publicly say, [23:12] and I assure you, they're saying this behind closed doors. They say, "We can guarantee that [23:17] no one will make it through the straight of Humus unless it's through us." President Trump and his [23:22] war cabinet, they're sitting in the Oval Office or wherever they're sitting that day. They look [23:27] around and they say, "You know what, guys? watch this. And they say to everyone around the world, [23:32] get yours cameras rolling. We're about to pull out these heavy large targets under the nose of the [23:39] Iranians and they won't be able to stop us. So why was that operation carried out? Because it answers [23:46] the question of can the US break the Iranian blockade? And the answer is a resounding yes. [23:52] Can the Iranians stop the Americans from breaking that blockade and traveling through the straight [23:56] of Humus? The answer is no. I'm putting aside or setting aside the question of the cost of that, [24:03] how much manpower it takes, can it be sustained over time. This is often a question of perception, [24:08] not just absolute military power. Now, there's an important note here because the entire world [24:14] is watching what's happening here to see where it goes to see if the Iranian the terrorist regime [24:19] can stop the American armed forces. Time and time again, the Trump White House flips the agenda on [24:26] them. They thought that they could blockade the straight of Hummus. Trump and his forces, well, [24:31] they blockade Iran. They cause more damage to them than is being caused to anyone else in the [24:36] region right now. They thinking they can stop US ships. They show them that they can make it [24:40] through. They think they can hide assets. The US comes and bombs them. And the list goes on and [24:45] on and on. Uh just to make a point of how much the US is supreme in this battle and how much [24:51] of an underdog and an underachiever the Iranian regime has been here. Uh part of this is public [24:56] perception. Part of it is making a military point, a financial point, a political point. [25:02] Is the war against Iran now becoming a war over consciousness or less than a seaw wall or missile [25:10] war or a war for oil? What do you think? Y that is a great question and I think the question is [25:17] flawed. This always was a war of perception and hasn't become only a war of perception. In fact, [25:24] I'd say that every war that's being fought right now around the world is about perception and not [25:29] just numbers. Unlike what it used to be in the past, and even then I would argue that a lot has [25:34] to do with public perception and PR campaigns. This isn't about just who has more soldiers on [25:38] the ground. It isn't about who has a stronger army. It's about the perception of who rules [25:43] the game and who is creating in real time the rules of engagement and the rules of negotiation. [25:49] And Trump and his negotiator team have brilliantly and and I think this will be studied in the future [25:55] beautifully, brilliantly, as Trump likes to say, uh they have mastered the game of playing PR [26:01] games with the Iranians. The Iranians tried to master the negotiation. They tried to spin the [26:06] negotiations. They tried to control the Americans in the negotiations and Trump simply defanged them [26:13] in the way Kushner, Witoff, and of course JD Vance operated throughout this negotiation. They try to [26:19] control the narrative with their videos and their, you know, and their shows of force, etc. And Trump [26:24] says, "Watch this." And sends ships through with an escort just to show that the Iranians cannot [26:30] touch them. And this is important because the world is looking at this entire war not just as a [26:35] war between the United States and Iran. Iran isn't fighting here on its own. Let's be honest, Iran is [26:40] backed by Chinese money and supplies, by Russian technology and weaponry that go together with it. [26:48] And this is a war between the perception that the US is the supreme power and the global policeman [26:55] or that is a declining empire to be replaced by the Chinese and the Russians. And let me tell you [27:00] the end of this story. The story ends with a clear answer that the United States reigns supreme when [27:06] it comes to being the global policeman. that the Chinese and the Russians are not playing in the [27:11] same league. There are several leagues beneath uh the United States and the ability to deploy power [27:17] to deploy financial pressure and of course to wage a continuous war on multiple fronts. [27:22] uh this is a lesson that's going to be learned as a PR campaign but also as a ripple effect in [27:28] geopolitical spheres for years to come and it will affect what happens in China in the South [27:33] China Sea and of course what Russia does whenever and however this current campaign in the Ukraine [27:39] ends. So yes, in the Ukraine, excuse me. So yes, this is a real war. It's a conventional war. It's [27:44] a financial war. It's a battle over resources and oil. But it is also a war of perception of power [27:50] and they all tie together and the US has done in my mind an amazing amazing amazing campaign [27:56] here of really wrapping uh this strategy around the topic of oil and the control and the flow of [28:03] it around military control around the perception of power around the perception of control of the [28:09] situation and Trump is correct when he says that the US doesn't necessarily need an agreement they [28:15] are strong enough they are resilient enough they are rich enough to force the situation on the [28:19] Iranians even without a substantial agreement. Thank you very much, Mati Shosani. This really [28:25] helped me understand better what we are dealing with. And to all of you joining us, we are TBN [28:31] Israel. We report twice a day about what's happening in this war because it's important [28:35] that you'll stay up to date from the ground from Israel and know how to pray for the situation. [28:42] You can also look for air on Mati Shashani on our social media platforms and we call you to pray [28:48] for the situation. And we invite you now to take part in something that is super cool, something [28:56] that is rooted in the land and in our hearts here in Israel. The Rebuild Israel campaign continues [29:04] bringing life back to Israel's north. Along Israel's northern border, an area marked by war, [29:10] displacement, and loss. We are planting an apple orchard, not as a symbol for a single moment, [29:16] but as part of a long a long-term commitment to rebuild what was damaged. And this orchard is more [29:25] than just agriculture. It creates jobs for local families. It helps communities return and rebuild. [29:31] And it sends a clear message to the people of Israel. You are not alone. When you donate, [29:37] you're not just giving. You are rebuilding. Your support puts trees in the ground, [29:42] restores livelihoods, and transfers land that was scarred by war into a land that grows again. This [29:49] is how renewal takes root. This is how Israel rebuilds after war. So, join us in restoring [29:55] the north and strengthening the future of the land of Israel. Go now to tbn.org/rebuildisrael. [30:02] Again, that's tbn.org/rebuildisrael org/rebuildisrael or call 800802-7895. [30:12] 8008047895. [30:18] Rebuild the land, restore hope, bless the future. This time the explosions did not [30:24] come from the waters of Hmuz. They came from the mountains of Yemen, in Sana, in Makiras, and in [30:32] areas considered part of the Houthi's operational backbone. A series of mysterious explosions struck [30:40] compounds used to assemble missiles, operate drones, and coordinate activities between Iran and [30:47] its proxies. No one claimed responsibility. But in the Middle East, sometimes the silence after an [30:54] explosion says more than any official statement. And that is why the question tonight is simple. [31:01] Why Yemen? Why now? And why? While the world is watching the straight of Huz. I'm Mel Pinto and [31:10] this is your boots on the ground report on the war between Israel and the United States against Iran [31:15] and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps which is the head of the axis of evil in the Middle [31:21] East. To understand this night, we need to look at a map like an operations officer. On one side, [31:29] the straight of Hmuz the passage that connects the Persian Gulf to the world. That is where Iran [31:35] is trying to decide who passes, how they pass, through which route, and at what political price. [31:43] On the other side, Babin Mandab, the passage that connects the Red Sea to the Gulf of Eden and the [31:49] Indian Ocean. That is where the Houthis in Yemen hold another threat. Cheaper, grayer, but very [31:57] dangerous. Drones, missiles, explosive boats, and attacks against the civilian ships. Between [32:05] these two passages, the real war over freedom of navigation is now being fought. This is not only [32:11] a wo over bases, not only a wo over the nuclear file, not only a wo over the diplomatic headline, [32:18] this is a wo over the ability of the world to move. Over the past month, according to reports, [32:24] the Jabel Atan compound in Sana was struck. That's not a name that most viewers in America know. [32:31] But for the Houthis and for the Iranians standing behind them, it is a very sensitive location. The [32:38] compound is considered part of the hearts of the missile networks. A fortified area, an underground [32:44] infrastructure, a place where they do not only store metal and explosives, but also knowledge, [32:50] command, communications, and operational coordination. One of the main targets was [32:56] a secret operations room. According to reports, this room was used to coordinate between Iran and [33:02] its proxies in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen. In other words, not just a room, a room of the axis. After [33:11] the explosion, internet services in the area went dark. That is a small detail, but an important [33:18] one. When an entire area goes dark after a strike, it can point to an attempt to stop the leaks, [33:27] block the footage, or disconnect systems that were also hit in the cyber domain. In this war, [33:33] the physical strike and the digital strike are no longer always separated. About a week earlier, [33:40] another site was hit in the Mukushias areas of southern Yemen. There, the terrain tells the [33:48] story. Mountains rising to roughly 2,200 meters give the Houthis a natural advantage. They allow [33:57] concealment, observation, and a connection between assembly areas and launch zones. According to [34:05] reports, that site was used to assemble drones and ballistic missiles. These are exactly the tools [34:12] that turned the Houthis from a local terrorist organization into a threat of the international [34:17] shipping lanes. A cheap drone built in Yemen can make an insurance company in London raise [34:23] its rates. A missile fire towards a shipping route can affect a shelf in the supermarket in Europe. [34:31] That is the new reality. The Houthis do not need a large navy. They do not need aircraft carriers. [34:37] They need enough cheap weapons, enough Iranian intelligence and enough launch points close to [34:44] Babel Mandanda. From there they can threaten the ships moving between Asia and Europe exactly as [34:51] Iran applies pressure in whole. So if this was indeed a precise external operation against [34:58] the Houthi infrastructure, the message is clear. Anyone trying to open a second maritime front for [35:04] Iran may discover that their own rear is exposed. But Yemen is only half of the picture. In the [35:12] Strait of Huz, the situation remains explosive. The container ship San Antonio belonging to the [35:18] French company CMA CGM was hit while crossing the straight. Crew members were wounded and evacuated [35:26] for medical treatment. The vessel was damaged. The ship sailing under a Maltese flag was on its way [35:34] to India. This is not a minor incident. CMA CGM is one of the largest shipping companies in the [35:41] world. When one of its ships is hit in Homus, it does not remain only in the captain's office. It [35:47] reaches the trading routes, the governments, the ports, the insurance companies, and anyone trying [35:52] to calculate whether a shipping route is still safe. According to a company report, several of [35:59] its vessels have been stuck in the Gulf Sea area since the war began. Last month there was directly [36:07] already a report of a warning fire towards another ship. Now there is a hit wounded crew members and [36:16] damage. That means that the threat has moved to another stage from harassment and warnings to an [36:22] actual strike. And this is happening exactly while President Trump is talking about progress towards [36:28] an agreement. Washington announced that project freedom, the operation meant to help ships pass [36:33] through the strait of Humuz will be paused for a short time. Trump explained that the move came at [36:41] the request of Pakistan and other countries and because of what he described as major progress [36:47] towards a complete and final agreement with the Iranian representatives. But we need to pay [36:53] attention to the warning. The blockade remains. Project Freedom is paused, not erased. These are [37:01] two different things. The Americans are briefly stopping the direct escort operation inside the [37:06] straight, but they are not releasing the pressure on Iran. Iranian ports remain under the blockade. [37:12] The regime's economy is still being squeezed. The ships are still not truly free, and the American [37:18] military is still very close to the arena. This is a situation where one hand offers a document [37:25] and the other hand stays on the trigger. The White House believes it is moving closer to [37:32] one-page memorandum of understanding. According to reports, the document includes 14 points. Its goal [37:39] is to end the hot war, open a 30-day negotiation period. the enter of the May the entire details [37:48] are talking about reopening Homus, limiting Iran's nuclear program and gradually removing [37:54] American sanctions in return. Amongst the points that are being discussed is an Iranian commitment [38:01] to freeze the uranium enrichment. The length of that freeze is still disputed. Iran wants a much [38:09] shorter period. The United States demanded much more. Now the discussion is about a long range, [38:17] possibly 12 to 15 years. There's also discussion of Iran removing highlyenriched uranium from the [38:24] country. That's a critical demand because enriched materials is not just a number in [38:30] the laboratory. It is the heart of the ability to break out towards a nuclear weapon in the future. [38:36] Iran will also be required to commit that it will never try to obtain nuclear weapons, [38:40] that it will not carry out activities connected to the development of such weapons and that it will [38:46] allow enhanced inspections, including surprise inspections. In return, the United States will [38:53] gradually remove the sanctions and allow the gradual release of frozen Iranian funds. On paper, [39:00] it sounds like an exit route, but in the Middle East, paper is only the beginning of the problem. [39:07] The question is, who is really making decisions in Tehran? Can the Iranian foreign minister promise [39:13] something the revolutionary guards are not willing to accept? Does the diplomatic wing [39:19] want an agreement while the military wing is trying to prove it has not been broken? [39:25] Will Iran sign in order to buy time and then continue operating through the Houthis throughba [39:34] and the militias in Iraq? Israel understands this danger very well. Some in Israel estimate that the [39:42] chance of strikes is still higher than the chance of a stable agreement. The reason is simple. Even [39:48] if the White House is optimistic, Israel lives here, not in Washington. Not in Beijing, not in [39:56] the rooms of the mediation. Here the missiles reach Hifa, the drones reach Elat and Hisbala [40:03] sits on the northern border. And meanwhile, Iran is playing a double game. On one hand, Abasaraki [40:09] travels to Beijing and meets with Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. China presents itself as a [40:16] reliable strategic partner for Iran, calls for a ceasefire, and demands safe passage through Homus. [40:23] This visit is taking place shortly before Trump's expected meeting with Chinese President Xiing. [40:30] In other words, Yan is not speaking only to Washington. It is bringing Beijing into the [40:35] picture. On the other hand, on the ground, ships are being hit, the Houthis are threatening, and [40:41] the Iranians continue trying to present control over homes. From their perspective, this is not [40:47] a contradiction. It is a method. Talk to diplomats while the proxies apply pressure. Declare a desire [40:56] for an agreement while raising the price for failure. Bring China into the process so Trump [41:02] understands that every decision on Iran also touches the larger arena with Beijing. But China [41:09] is not there only out of love for Tehran. China needs energy. China needs trade. China does not [41:16] want a full collapse of Homus. But it does want the United States to remain busy in the Middle [41:21] East while Beijing expands its influence. So, China embraces Iran also calls for a ceasefire. [41:29] It wants to be the player that Iran depends on without paying the price of an open regional wall. [41:35] The Americans see it, the Israelis see it, and the Gulf States see it as well. And there begins [41:42] another story, the fracture inside the Arab world. After the Iranian attacks on Fuji and other areas, [41:51] the United Arab Emirates is pushing for a tougher line against Thran. Abu Dhabi wants a price. It [41:58] wants everyone to understand that whoever attacks oil facilities and civilian ports does not walk [42:03] away with only a diplomatic statement. Saudi Arabia, on the other hand, is more cautious. [42:09] Muhammad bin Salman wants to limit Iran, but not necessarily bring down the regime right now. He [42:14] wants controlled pressure. pressure that keeps Thran below a certain ceiling but does not open [42:20] chaos that no one knows how will end. That gap is creating tension between the two important [42:26] capitals of the Gulf. According to reports, the Emirati have begun taking harsh steps against [42:33] countries that did not align with its position. Pakistan and Europe are mentioned in connection [42:40] with economic pressure. Visa restrictions, frozen accounts, and worker deportations. Saudi Arabia, [42:48] meanwhile, is trying to offer alternative support. And this may sound like a side story, but it is [42:54] not. When Iran attacks the Gulf, every country in the region has to decide what matters more, [43:02] immediate stability or breaking the Iranian power for the long run. When the United States pauses [43:09] an operation in the name of diplomacy, every partner ask whether it can still rely on the [43:14] American security umbrella. And when Israel cooperates with the Amiratis on defense, [43:20] the old Middle East changes before our eyes. And before we continue, if this reports helped you [43:28] understand the big picture of what's happening in the Middle East, don't remain only a viewer on the [43:33] sidelines. Click like, share this video, share to friends, to family, to anybody who needs to [43:40] hear the truth, and hit the subscribe button on TBN Israel so that you never miss another update [43:45] of Boots on the ground. This war is being fought on the ground, at sea, and in the air. Also in [43:52] the media and in the public opinion sphere. Every share helps us reach more people. The connection [43:59] between Israel and the Emiratis is now becoming a major part of the story. Prime Minister Netanyahu [44:04] spoke with Muhammad bin Zad. Israel's ambassador to the Emirati spoke about relations that are [44:10] growing and flourishing, especially in the field of defense. Reports about Israeli assistance [44:15] in interceptions and about Israeli air defense systems in the region point to a new reality. Iran [44:22] tried to isolate Israel. Instead, it is pushing more countries to understand that its threat is [44:28] shared. That does not mean every Gulf state will tomorrow become an open ally to Israel. It does [44:37] not mean that anyone will agree on every move. But it does mean that when an Iranian missile [44:44] threatens a port, the ideological question moves aside and the operational question takes over. Who [44:52] can help stop the threat? This is exactly where a new regional order is being built. Not through [44:58] beautiful declarations, not through ceremonies, but through radar systems, interception batteries, [45:04] intelligence coordination, and emergency phone calls in the middle of the night. And at the same [45:10] time, the IDF continues to look north. Lebanon has not calmed down and the Iranians can at any [45:18] moment try to shift the center of pressure from home to the Israel Lebanon border if Thran feels [45:24] it is losing a maritime card. It may activate the northern card that could be anti-tank fire, [45:30] drones, rockets or an attempt to hit IDF forces in southern Lebanon. That is why Israel must manage [45:37] this campaign in several layers. One layer against Iran itself, one layer against, one layer against [45:44] the Houthis, one layer in the diplomatic arena, and another layer in global public opinion. Well, [45:50] many people do not always understand how an incident in the straight of Hammuz is connected [45:55] to an air raid and a siren in Kirachai in Israel city in the north. But the connection exists and [46:02] it is clear. The Iranian axis operates like one system with many arms. When one arm is pressured, [46:09] another arm can move. When Hummus burns, Babel Madnab may be ignited. When a Houthi facility is [46:16] struck in Yemen, may receive an order to increase the fire. When Trump speaks about an agreement, [46:22] the revolutionary guards may create an incident on the ground to improve their negotiating position. [46:29] The Iranians understand that negotiations are working different in the west. In the west, [46:36] people often talk in order to lower the fire. In Thran, they often fire in order to raise the [46:42] price of the conversation. That does not mean that they do not want an agreement. It means that they [46:47] want an agreement in which the other side feels it must pay in order to receive quiet. The question [46:54] is whether Trump will allow them to do that. Until now, he has sent two opposite messages, [47:01] whether internationally or not. On the one hand, he threatens with power. He says Iran cannot be [47:08] allowed to obtain nuclear weapons. He presents the military operation as one that achieves its [47:13] goals. He keeps the blockade in full force. On the other hand, he pushes project freedom, pauses it, [47:21] gives room for mediation, and looks for a document that he can present to the American public as the [47:27] end of this war politically. Politically, that's understandable. A long war in the Middle East is [47:34] not a gift to any American president. Oil prices, polls, Congress, and worried allies all enter [47:42] the calculation. But in the Middle East, a short pause can be interrupted in two ways. On one side, [47:48] it can be smart. It can give the enemy time to think while the blockade continues to walk. On [47:54] the other side, it can look like weakness. It can allow the Iranian regime to tell its people, "We [47:59] stood against America and we made it stop." That is why the next few days are so critical. If Iran [48:08] responds seriously to the document, commits to a long nuclear freeze, agrees to real inspections, [48:14] and stops the threats against Homus, the campaign may move into a diplomatic pause [48:19] that will be difficult, long, and complicated. If Iran continues to heat ships while talking [48:25] about an agreement, Trump will face the biggest test of deterrence since the beginning of this [48:30] war. In Israel, there are not many illusions. A good agreement must dismantle capabilities, [48:37] not just freeze the headlines. It must deal with enriched uranium, underground facilities, surprise [48:44] inspections, missiles, and the proxy network. If the agreement leaves Iran with the ability [48:50] to recover, reorganize, and return stronger in a few years, it does not end this war. It buys time [48:57] for the enemy. And time is exactly what Iran is looking for. And it's time to repair their system. [49:05] Time to calm the streets. Time to reconnect the networks. Time to coordinate with China. Time [49:10] to stabilize the economy. Time to prove that the Revolutionary Guards are still in control. That [49:16] is why every clause in the document matters. Every phrase matters. Every day of the 30-day [49:23] negotiation period will be the test. Meanwhile, the Houthis in Yemen received a powerful painful [49:30] reminder. Even geographical distance does not guarantee immunity. If their operations rooms [49:36] were hit, if their assembly sites burned, and if their launch routes are exposed, the threat to [49:42] Babel Mandab can be weakened. Not erased, but weakened. And that matters to Israel because [49:50] freedom of navigation in the Red Sea is not just a matter of distant ships. It is connected to the [49:56] port of Elat. It is connected to the trade. It is connected to Iran's ability to pressure [50:01] Israel from the south while hisbala pressures from the north. It is connected to whether the [50:05] war remains focused or spreads into more and more circles. Now let's return to the starting [50:12] point. Explosions in Yemen, a damaged ship in Homus, an Iranian foreign minister in Beijing, [50:19] a memorandum of understanding in Washington, pressure in the Gulf, high alerts in Israel. [50:24] Each of these events look like a separate story, but they are all connected to the same question. [50:30] Is Iran truly prepared to give up its level of power or it's only changing arenas in order to [50:38] survive. The regime in Thran wants to look as if it is controlling the game, but in reality, it is [50:44] reaching and reacting to pressure. The blockade is hurting it. The strikes are hurting its [50:49] proxies. Gulf states are moving closer to Israel. China is entering the picture out of interest, [50:55] not loyalty. And the Iranian street remains the threat of this regime, the threat that it fears [51:01] more than any American ship or missile. There are moments when war is not only measured only by who [51:09] fires at the last missile. It is measured by who can hold on while the pressure continues, by who [51:16] controls time, by who can build a coalition, by who can defend the shipping routes, open skies, [51:23] and a functioning state. Tonight, the Iranian access is trying to show that it still holds [51:28] the keys to two gates of the sea. But if the explosions in Yemen, the attacks on the ships, [51:35] and the race towards an agreement reach us and teach us anything, it is that those keys are no [51:41] longer the ones that are in the hands alone. If the memorandum is signed, the test will not be [51:47] the ceremony. The test will be the implementation. And if it collapses, the question will not be who [51:53] opens fire first, but who has already prepared the next strike. So, keep spreading the truth, follow [52:01] us, and most importantly, don't forget to hit the subscribe button. We are TV in Israel. We report [52:06] every day twice about what's happening in this war. And we call on you to share the truth and to [52:11] pray for the situation. Yes, this is a spiritual war. And I call on you to pray for wisdom to our [52:18] leaders, for the service men and women that are fighting to defend us, for the IDF personnel, [52:25] for the families of Israel that are under stress by these attacks by the enemy. Keep praying for [52:32] God's will to be done here and for the peace of Jerusalem. And we'll see you again tomorrow. [52:37] Hello, this is Mati here in Jerusalem with TBN Israel. This is Yay Pinto from TBNN Israel. Here [52:43] in Jerusalem, TBN Israel is keeping viewers informed with Israel focused news, culture, [52:49] and what God is doing in this land. Support TBN Israel today online at tbn.org/israel. Thank you.
