Transcript [00:00] The United States Central Command destroyed fortified targets on Kasim Island in southern [00:05] Iran in the dead of night. Terror in the Gulf. Iran shut down Kuwait International Airport. Are [00:14] we returning to fighting? An Iranian drone attack hit Kuwait International Airport, [00:19] caused casualties and shut down air activity in the country only hours after another round of [00:26] exchanges of blows between the United States and Iran. And the United States is hardening [00:32] its positions in the negotiations. Washington is placing a clear red line before Iran and [00:38] declaring sanctions relief only in exchange for giving up the nuclear program. In addition, the [00:46] United States is hitting the revolutionary guards in the pocket and launching a direct strike on the [00:52] Iranian money machine. Washington has opened a focused economic attack against one of the most [00:59] important financial platforms of the regime in Tehran. All the details coming up soon. And today, [01:06] it turns out that Trump really did call Netanyahu crazy. We will soon bring you what that means. [01:14] I'm Pinto with M is Mati Shashani. We are boots on the ground. We bring you the whole truth about [01:21] what's happening in Israel and also the whole truth about what's happening in our neighborhood, [01:25] the Middle East. Today is July 3rd. Let's begin. Trump is driving the Iranians crazy. The president [01:36] of the United States changed direction and harden his positions against the revolutionary guards [01:41] in Iran. During the meeting on Friday in the situation room, President Donald Trump determined [01:48] that the Iranian verbal commitments regarding the nuclear issue are not enough. Now he's demanding [01:55] an explicit statement from Iran regarding its nuclear program and especially regarding the [02:01] uranium that has already been enriched to a high level. Tonight, between Tuesday and Wednesday, [02:07] the United States military announced that a military operation was carried out against [02:13] an oil tank sailing in Kasim Island in Iran. The United States military released footage of [02:20] a Hellfire missile being launched at the tanker's engine room and published the following statement. [02:26] United States Central Command Sentcom updated that as part of the blockade on the Strait of Hummus, [02:33] a military operation was carried out against an oil tanker flying the flag of Batuena while it [02:40] was sailing in international waters on its way to Karag Island. It was also stated that the ship's [02:46] crew ignored repeated warnings and did not obey the instructions of the American forces several [02:53] times over the last 24 hours. In the end, an American aircraft disabled the vessel by launching [03:00] a Hellfire missile at the ship's engine room. In response to the disabling of the oil tanker [03:07] by the United States military, the revolutionary guards fired missiles towards Kuwait and Bahrain [03:13] and claimed that this was a response to the strike on a communications tower on Kasim Island. [03:20] The drones from Iran hit Kuwait International Airport and caused a shutdown of commercial [03:25] activity there. Authorities in Kuwait announced that the main passenger terminal was significantly [03:32] damaged and that several people were injured during the incident. Following the attack, [03:38] passenger flights were stopped and the country's national airline announced that suspension of its [03:44] operations will start now until further notice. The talks between the sides in recent weeks have [03:51] focused on an attempt to reach an agreement of understandings that would extend the ceasefire, [03:57] reopen up the straight of Homus, and set a timeline for the continuation of the discussions. [04:04] A draft formulated last week included a written Iranian commitment not to work towards obtaining [04:10] nuclear weapons, but did not include concrete commitments regarding the regime's entire nuclear [04:16] program. President Trump expressed optimism and said that he estimates that Iran will agree to [04:23] the new terms within a week. However, officials in Washington expressed doubts in light of the [04:29] internal disagreements within the Iranian regime. Secretary of State Marco Rubio referred to this [04:36] difficulty and said that at the end of the day, you're negotiating with people who then have to [04:42] negotiate inside their own system in order to see what they're allowed to give and what they [04:48] are allowed to agree to. An official news agency in Iran confirmed that the updated draft is under [04:55] review in Tehran. American officials emphasized that no sanctions relief will be offered and no [05:01] assets will be unfrozen before Iran fulfills all its commitments. Secretary of State Marco Rubio [05:08] made clear in a Senate hearing that any sanctions relief for Iran will take place only in exchange [05:15] for a full concession on the Iranian nuclear program. Rubio denied that a compromise had [05:22] been offered in exchange for opening the strait of Homus while Tehran's conventional defense system [05:28] has been badly eroded and its military has almost been destroyed. In addition, Rubio revealed that [05:36] there are indications that Iran's Supreme Leader Much Ham is becoming more and more involved in [05:42] managing negotiations. Kamina has not been seen or heard in public since he was wounded in the strike [05:50] in which his father was killed in the opening hours of the war. The American administration [05:56] tightened the pressure on Iran this week and announced the opposition of board of sanctions [06:03] against Iran's largest crypto exchange Noetex. According to Washington, the exchange allowed [06:10] the Iranian government and blacklisted state institutions to bypass the Western sanctions. The [06:17] dramatic move comes after the explosion of how the exchange became a central junction in the parallel [06:25] financing system which preceded hundreds of billions of dollars from Iran's central bank and [06:32] the revolutionary guards. And against the backdrop of the dramatic escalation in the Middle East [06:38] and the expanding war in the Persian Gulf, the consequences of the confrontation are now directly [06:44] hitting the pockets of energy customers all around the world. Saudi Arabia, the largest oil exporter [06:51] in the world, has decided to raise the price of its main type of oil for the Asian markets to a [06:58] historic record premium. The step comes at a time where Iran is close to an almost complete blockage [07:05] of the straight of Hmuz which is causing turmoil and deep shock in global energy markets according [07:12] to a report by the Bloomberg news agency. And one more thing that followed us this week, the leak [07:19] about the president of the United States shouting at the Israeli prime minister. We asked who leaked [07:26] it, what was leaked, and what the context was. And now it seems that whoever leaked it managed [07:34] to take the remarks out of their full context. The president of the United States confirmed that he [07:40] used a harsh expression towards Binyamin Netanyahu during a conversation between the two about the [07:45] fighting in Lebanon. But alongside the criticism, Trump emphasized his close relationship with the [07:51] prime minister and said, "I like BB very much. I work with him excellently." Look, it seems that [08:01] the two leaders are very comfortable with each other and know how to work together very well. [08:08] It's likely that sometimes they have disagreements and that is natural and logical, especially during [08:15] wartime. Trump said, "I was a little disturbed by his non-stop fighting in Lebanon." He continued, [08:23] "We worked very, very well together. I like BB very much and I work with him excellently. I'm a [08:30] president during wartime. He's a prime minister during wartime in a very important region of [08:35] the world, and we work very well." End quote. Although Trump said that he is concerned about the [08:43] possibility that the confrontation between Lebanon and Israel would torpedo the peace agreement with [08:48] Iran, he noted that is still optimistic and that an agreement will be reached pretty quickly. And [08:55] at the same time, Iran's economic oxygen pipeline has been exposed, the one that the United States [09:01] still cannot manage to block. Through a secret network of old tankers operating off the coast [09:07] of Malaysia, the Iranian regime managed this week to sell crude oil to China worth billions [09:13] of dollars despite American sanctions. Today we will bring you how it works and have Islam [09:20] and the Lebanese government found a solution for the terrorist organization? What do you think? So [09:28] apparently this is the plan for dismantling. The United States military will train the Lebanese [09:34] army in order to help it deal with and in practice disarm the terrorist organization, a move that has [09:41] Israeli support. Sources familiar with the details said that the move does indeed have support here [09:48] in Israel. An official in the administration in Washington made clear Trump asked to prevent [09:54] escalation in order not to turn Lebanon into an issue in the negotiations. So, we have a [10:01] lot ahead of us, but let's dive into the details. I'm Pinto. With me is Mati Shosani. We are here on [10:09] Boots on the Ground, bringing you the whole truth about what's happening in Israel and about the [10:13] war against Iran's revolutionary guards, which is the head of the Axis of evil in the Middle East. [10:19] And just a second before we begin, I want to call on you to continue spreading the truth. Share our [10:24] content with as many people as possible. Click on the subscribe button and most importantly do [10:29] not forget to look for me Yah Pinto and for Mati Shashani on our social media accounts in order to [10:34] get a view through our eyes of what it's like to live here in Israel during this war. to our [10:40] senior Middle East correspondent Mati Shashani. If Iran is already hitting Kuwait and Bahin and not [10:47] only threatening Israel or American ships, are we seeing a transition from an Israel Iran and [10:53] Israel Iran war to a new Gulf War? That is a great question, but this is not actually news. If you've [11:01] really been following what's been happening in the last couple months, from the get-go, [11:05] the Iranians have used the tactic of harming the friends of the United States to try and pressure [11:11] the United States. And I'm not talking about Israel here, by the way, although Israel is a [11:15] friend of the United States. I'm talking about the Gulf States, the countries who trade, who work, [11:20] who buy weapons from the US. They're are the ones who suffered the most from Iran through [11:25] this war. Who who do you want as an example? The United Arab Emirates. They took a strike or [11:32] more strikes in total munitions than Israel did during this war. Kuwait, a semi friend of Iran, [11:39] has taken a beating from the Iranians, as have, of course, quite a few other states, including others [11:44] who are nowhere near being a real friend uh of the US and are much more closer to Iran, such as Oman [11:50] that is close uh to the Strait of Homus area and a close ally on certain cases of the Iranians. But [11:57] here here's what's what's interesting in this whole conversation. In this last time frame, [12:02] recent hours, recent days, Iran has slowly upped the tempo of attacks and damage towards targets [12:08] that are in the Gulf States. They're doing this for two main reasons. One, because it's an easy [12:13] target. It doesn't require long range ballistic missiles such as reaching Israel that are for [12:18] the most case also intercepted and therefore less effective. But it is effective in causing fear and [12:25] putting international pressure on the US to reach an end to whatever we want to call this conflict, [12:30] the war or an extended ceasefire. Why is this important? This is important because Iran is [12:37] doing this as a mechanism of pressure. They tried it with economic pressure by closing the street of [12:42] Humus. They're trying it with political pressure by targeting these countries and trying to use [12:47] them to push the US to change policy and to change behavior. And of course, they're trying it once [12:53] more now again with a combination of the two. Stra of Hummus is closed. So they're squeezing [12:58] them. They're causing damage to them financially. And therefore, they might pressure the US. And now [13:04] they're launching attacks at them, UAVs and others, uh, other projectiles to say, "Look, [13:09] we can continue to harm you. Why don't you go and cry to Uncle Sam so they stop the war with [13:16] us. This is don't misunderstand their intentions. This is not a war in the Middle East. This is an [13:22] extension of the conflict with the United States. And everyone is looking to see what the United [13:27] States is able to do. Let me tell you something. This war is far more complicated from a military [13:32] perspective than what you imagine. This isn't a medieval war with two armies meeting on one [13:37] battlefield, clashing, and then going back home. They continue fighting. They continue fighting [13:43] uh in the sea. They continue fighting in the air. They continue fighting in electronic warfare and [13:48] of course in intern in intelligence and public perception. And this is interesting and this is [13:53] relevant because right now and in the last couple weeks the US has been able to move ships through [13:59] the straight of Humus, but they're doing it quietly without releasing a whole lot of footage [14:03] about it on international media. They're doing something else. They are also counter striking [14:09] Iranian strikes on ships uh and Iranian attempts to disrupt traffic or travel through the straight [14:15] of Humus. They've been eliminating Iranian mosquito boats. They've been targeting repeatedly, [14:20] by the way, not a single time, uh, Iranian uh, landbased uh, rocket systems and other munitions [14:28] and of course radar uh, systems to try and prevent them from causing harm or using intelligence to [14:35] cause harm afterwards to other targets traveling through the area. So, this is more complex than [14:39] just saying Iran is attacking Gulf States. Iran is trying to do what it's done several times, [14:45] which is use the Gulf States as a pressure lever on the United States. As always, I'm happy to say [14:52] that President Trump is not someone who's easy to pressure publicly or by military action. [14:57] Thankfully, it takes more than that to really change public policy. What we've seen from US [15:02] forces in the area is a very substantial level of resolute behavior of resolve to show the Iranians [15:09] that there's only one way to end this war and it's on American terms. So yes, once again, it's very [15:15] uncomfortable for the Gulf States. But this isn't news. Uh the Iranians have done this time and time [15:19] again. They try to harm other people. They try to disrupt trade. They try to cause damage. Why? [15:25] They do this because it's their way to try and affect American foreign policy. And Mati is the [15:32] real Iranian threat right now not only missiles and drones but the ability of the revolutionary [15:37] guards to maintain a secret economic system that continues to fund the war even under blockade. [15:43] Yeah, this is definitely the case. The financial war is as much an element of this war as are the [15:49] ships, the planes, the soldiers, uh the missiles that are being part of of it up till now. Where [15:55] do we see this? In a very substantial way, the Iranians have entered the financial equation early [16:01] in the the beginning of this war by closing the straight of Hummus and using that as a chokeold on [16:06] both the global economy, but specifically on their neighbors, the Gulf States. But the US retaliated [16:11] with the same token uh by closing the straight of humus on Iranian ships traveling through. Uh this [16:18] was not at the beginning of the war but about a month into it. And now things are continuing. [16:24] Uh we're looking at several recent steps that the Americans have carried out where they're [16:28] going after uh Iranian crypto assets around the world. I think I heard someone in the US Treasury, [16:35] this was earlier this week, state that they've already seized close to $1 billion dollars of [16:40] crypto wallets from the Iranians. I've also heard today that several Israeli hacker [16:43] groups have stolen, I think it was in recent days, $80 million of Iranian crypto wallets [16:50] uh from them. Um, and of course, it's a probably very complicated process, but this is something [16:56] that's happening on an ongoing basis. But yes, the financial element is substantial because, [17:01] and I say this all the time, and I think anyone who follows this topic will say it, you don't end [17:05] this war by military force. It doesn't end with a bomb. It doesn't end with a bombing mission for a [17:10] plane or with soldiers on the ground. That's not how this war ends. It ends with an agreement. And [17:15] an agreement includes the financial component. And finances are key. Iran is a dictatorship. [17:24] It's a dictatorship that might have elections, but don't get them wrong. uh they are not elected by [17:29] the people. They dictate what the people will do. They control them in an authoritarian way [17:34] in a very very substantial manner. And because of that they need cash. They need cash to pay [17:39] the hundreds of thousands of IRGC and besiege soldiers and enforcers that do their bidding on [17:46] the streets and scare away anyone who's trying to stand up to the government. They need that [17:50] to pay for the war machine that is the IRGC. They need that to pay for their proxy mechanism which [17:57] isahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah [17:58] and kamas and the kouthis and others around the world that they use to try and spread [18:03] terrorism. They need cash and the US is going after their cash. By the way, not only the US, [18:09] also the people we talked about just a second ago, the Gulf states have publicly said, you know what, [18:15] we've realized it's not worthwhile being your friends. We know where you're keeping [18:18] some of your crypto. We know where you're hiding assets through shell companies and corporations. [18:23] We're coming after them and we're going to seize them and we're going to use them to [18:26] pay for the damages you caused in this war. I think it's both humorous. It's also well, [18:34] it's what they had coming. If they're going after the wallets and the cash of these countries, well, [18:39] they deserve to have the same done to them. And yes, the US using financial tools is is important, [18:45] but it's not new to this war. It's been done in in many wars because that's often the ways or one [18:51] of the ways you bring down a terrorist entity by going after their cash after their pocket and then [18:57] making them a little softer to negotiate with. Mati, if continues to strike while the United [19:03] States is trying to close an agreement with Iran, has Lebanon became the real test of the question [19:09] of who is running the Middle East, Washington, Jerusalem or Tehran? My my sense is that this [19:15] attempt to try and frame Israeli attacks in Lebanon as something that goes against US policy, [19:22] I think it's an an inaccurate attempt to do so. Um, we're clearly not saying that here on TV and [19:28] Israel. We're saying that the story is far more complex. One, for those of you who've forgotten, [19:32] I think most people haven't forgotten yet, there's reports of this very tense conversation [19:36] that took place regarding Israeli operations in Lebanon between President Trump and Italy. [19:42] the the main story and this is happening today. Uh we've heard clarifications from the White [19:46] House on this topic that said yes it was a heated conversation but of course the US is is committed [19:51] to the very warm the very important the very serious relationship they have with the people of [19:56] Israel with the state of Israel and with the prime minister of Israel knowing that what's happening [20:01] in Lebanon is is is more of a bigger problem. The problem is twofold. One Lebanon is a country that [20:07] has a government and an army that don't control their country. Their country to a great degree [20:12] from a military perspective is controlled byah. Butahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah is not [20:17] a party or faction within Lebanon proper. Although they do have representation in [20:22] the government. They are a sign of Islamic radical imperialism in Lebanon that is paid, [20:30] funded and trained by by Iran and isbalah. Is not a representation of the wish, the will, [20:39] or the desires of the Lebanese people. it's that of the Iranian people. So, here's what happened. [20:43] A couple days ago, a ceasefire is declared. Israel says, "Okay, if there's a ceasefire, [20:48] let's slow down the war machine." And we do. And says, "You know what? This is time for to go all [20:55] in. Let's start firing all the drones, all the rockets, all the missiles we have at every target [21:00] we can get to in Israel." This is hours after this extended ceasefire is declared, and Israel says, [21:07] "Come on, guys. This isn't happening. Uh we can't have a ceasefire with the government of Lebanon [21:12] and then be fighting a war againstah and just say that we decided not to fight while while they're [21:17] attacking us and and we do go back to to fighting againstah that that's a reality on the ground. [21:23] You can't ignore it. You can't evade it. Uh you must reconcile with the reality and the reality [21:28] isah is a terrorist organization who is meant to disrupt the government of Lebanon and fight and [21:34] weaken Israel. They represent the desire not of the Lebanese people but of Iran. And Iran's desire [21:41] is to prove that the US can't bring an agreement without stopping the war in Lebanon. So it's all [21:47] circularly connected but not through Lebanon through the Ayatollas, the IRGC and honestly [21:54] whoever is controlling uh whoever's controlling Iran. We're not sure of that yet. Uh and they're [21:59] the ones controlling it. The relationship between Israel and the United States is strong. [22:03] The US has immense political and military power. And if anyone can change the political situation [22:09] on the ground in Lebanon, in Syria, in Gaza, it is the United States under the leadership [22:15] of Donald Trump. But sometimes these processes take time. They take nation building efforts. [22:20] They take international forces. And doesn't want a ceasefire agreement. Uh they're not that kind [22:25] of organization. They want to keep fighting. uh they want to bring harm to Israel, especially [22:30] now that they see that it serves the interest of Iran, their overlords, their benefactors, [22:36] their patrons. And because of that, this doesn't represent the fact that the fighting continues [22:40] in Lebanon doesn't mean that the US is weak. It means that Lebanon is a broken country that needs [22:47] someone like the US to come in with international aid, with international organizations and change [22:51] something substantial in the way that country operates. Look, the Arab Spring and the aftermath [22:57] of that and Iranian proxy warfare have devastated, they've decimated countries throughout the Middle [23:03] East and Lebanon is one of them. Lebanon is a country that has been in a various forms of [23:08] civil war and international war for decades since before I was born. And because of that, they need [23:14] something new to be built in that country. And that takes time. That takes stabilizing efforts. [23:19] That takes IMF grants, International Monetary Fund. It takes world bank. It takes other [23:25] countries to come in and to build and to donate and to uh to to build infrastructure and for an [23:30] army to be rebuilt and for the people to regain faith in that government. And until that happens, [23:35] Israel really has to I mean we have no choice but to fight against the terrorist organization until [23:40] they stop threatening the people of Israel. The best way to do that would be to have the Lebanese [23:46] army fighting against them. Thank you very much, Mati Shashani. has definitely helped us better [23:51] understand what we're dealing with. And to all of you, continue to spread the truth. Share our [23:56] content with as many people as possible. Click the subscribe button. We are here TBIN Israel [24:01] reporting twice a day about what's happening in Israel, in the Middle East, and whatever [24:06] you need to know about this region. We invite you to take part in something real, something rooted [24:12] in the land, and in our hearts. The Rebuild Israel campaign continues, bringing life back [24:19] to Israel's north. So along Israel's northern border, an area marked by war, displacement, [24:25] and loss, we are planting an apple orchard, not as a symbol for a single moment, but as part of a [24:32] long-term commitment to rebuild what was damaged. This orchard is more than agriculture. It creates [24:39] jobs for local families. It helps communities return and rebuild. And it sends a clear message [24:45] to the people of Israel. You are not alone. When you donate, you're not just giving. You are [24:51] rebuilding. Your support puts trees in the ground, restores livelihoods, and transforms land scarred [24:58] by war into a land that grows again. This is how renewal takes root. This is how Israel rebuilds [25:04] after war. Join us in restoring the north and strengthening the future of the land of Israel. [25:11] Go now to tbn.org/rebuild Isisrael. Again, that's tbn.org/rebuild Isisrael or call 8008047895. [25:23] That's 800804-7895. [25:27] Plant a tree, an apple tree in the northern communities of Israel. Bring jobs back. [25:32] bring the people back despite the threats of the terrorists to our borders. Now, let's get back [25:38] to the news. Kuwait International Airport was hit by an Iranian UAV attack. One person was killed, [25:44] dozens were wounded, a central terminal was shut down and the airspace of one of the Gulf states [25:51] once again entered the state of emergency. This happened hours after the Americans struck a tanker [25:58] near Homus and after Iran tried to hit Bahrain and Kuwait with missiles and UAVs. So, are we still [26:06] inside negotiations or have we already returned to open the war in the Gulf to an open war? [26:14] This is where our second part of this report begins. Because at the beginning of the night, [26:20] the Gulf was mostly talking about interceptions, missiles that were fired from towards Kuwait, [26:26] from Iran that did not reach their targets. Three missiles towards Bahin that were intercepted, [26:33] UAVs moving towards vessels that fell before they hit. But later, the picture changed. In Kuwait, [26:40] officials announced that several UAVs hit Terminal One at the International Airport. Heavy damage [26:47] was caused to the building. Flight operations were halted and the national airlines suspended [26:53] activity until further notice. Later, the airport reopened partially, but the message had already [27:00] reacted and reached the international region. Everybody in the region knows about it. Iran is [27:08] not satisfied with threatening military bases. It is ready to strike a sensitive civilian junction [27:15] in the heart of an Arab country that did not ask to become a battlefield. In Bahin, officials said [27:22] that the air defensive systems intercepted and destroyed three UAVs. Qatar and other [27:27] Gulf states condemned the attack and expressed solidarity with Kuwait and Bahrain. This is not [27:33] only polite diplomacy. The Gulf states, they understand that they're facing a regime that's [27:39] trying to use them as leverage against Washington. The Iranians presented the attack as response. The [27:47] Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps claimed that the Americans had struck an oil tanker that tried [27:53] to reach Iran and that afterwards they hit one of their communications towers in the southern [27:59] part of Kasim Island. In response, they announced that they had attacked with missiles and UAVs and [28:06] air force base in the region and the headquarters of the United States fifth fleet in Bahrain. The [28:13] United States rejected that claim, saying that all attempts to hit American forces had failed. But [28:20] even if some of the Iranian claims are inflated, their choice matters. Iran did not fire only in [28:26] order to hit. it fired in order to tell a story. From Thran's perspective, every American nation [28:33] in Hmuz must be answered immediately. Every action the Americans take not only against the vessels, [28:42] not only against the base, but also against civilian aviation, against infrastructure, and [28:48] against the sense of security of anyone hosting American forces. This is a war of perception, [28:54] but it is being fought with metal, fire, and casualties. At the center of the event stands [29:01] the tanker M/T Laxia, sailing under the flag of Batsuana. Around midnight, US Central Command [29:10] announced that American forces had disabled the tanker's engines after the crew ignored [29:16] the repeated warnings. An American aircraft fired a precision missile at the engine room and the [29:21] ship was stopped before continuing towards Iran. This moves makes the new American line [29:28] clear. The naval blockade is not only symbolic. It is being enforced. A ship that tries to break [29:34] through it may be hit. If Iran wants to test the Americans through civilian vessels, foreign flags [29:44] and gray zones at the sea, Washington is now trying to show that the gray area is closing. [29:51] But the blockade at sea is only one layer. At the same time, the United States is also [29:56] applying pressure on the money. The United States Treasury Department imposed sanctions on Noitex, [30:03] Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange, and on senior figures connected to it. In Washington, [30:10] officials say that the platform became one of the regime's central channels for bypassing sanctions, [30:16] transferring money, and protecting regime assets while the Iranian economy is collapsing. This is [30:22] a less photographed front, but it is no less important. A plane striking a control station [30:29] on Casim Island creates images. A sanction on cryptocurrency exchange does not create smoke [30:35] in the sky, but it blocks the revolutionary guards from moving money, buying equipment, [30:41] paying smuggling networks, and moving capital out of Iran. That's a real strategic blow. US Treasury [30:48] Secretary Scott Descent said that the regime chose to use digital asset technologies for a corrupt [30:55] agenda, evading sanctions and moving wealth out of the country. According to the American statement, [31:03] Noitext handled more than half of Iran's digital asset activity last year. That is why striking it [31:10] is not only technical, it is an attempt to cut off an oxygen pipe. But Iran has another oxygen pipe [31:17] and it is located in the open sea. The waters of Malaysia have in recent years became one of the [31:24] most important hubs for Iran's shadow fleet dozens of miles from the coast. All tankers, some of them [31:32] under sanctions, transfer oil from ship to ship. Names are covered. Identification numbers are [31:39] hidden. Tracking systems are turned off. The cargo changes hands, changes identity, and continues on [31:45] its way to private refineries in China. The numbers explain why this matters. Because [31:51] according to assessments that are presented in the United States Congress, Iran earned [31:56] about $ 31 billion last year from selling oil to China. That was close to 90% of its oil exports [32:04] and almost half of the Iranian government's budget. Before the war, China imported about 1.4 [32:10] 4 million barrels of oil a day from Iran. In other words, even when Washington closes one port and [32:18] even when one ship is stopped near Hm, the Iranian regime is still trying to maintain a broad network [32:24] of smuggling, delayed payments, and barrels of oil that are already at sea. There's also one [32:31] especially troubling figure. Outside the blockade zone, there are, according to the assessments, [32:38] about 90 million barrels of Iranian oil that have already left Iran's territorial waters. Some of [32:44] the money for that oil may reach Thran only months from now. That's why even a successful blockade [32:50] does not work like a light switch. It does not turn off the regime in one day. It chokes slowly [32:56] and it has to be held for long enough. This is where the global energy market comes in. [33:02] Saudi Arabia is already responding. Aramco raised the price of Arab light crude for [33:09] the Asian market to an especially high premium. In the background, exports from the Gulf are becoming [33:16] more complicated. The risks are rising and passage through Homus no longer looks like a safe route. [33:23] Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are almost the only Gulf countries with significant [33:29] export alternatives outside the straight of Saudi Arabia uses a pipeline that reaches the [33:36] Red Sea coast through Yanbu and from there moves millions of barrels a day. For the viewer at home, [33:44] that sounds far away. For the global economy, it's very close. When a ship is hit in Homus, energy [33:51] prices move. When an airport in Kuwait is shut down, airliners change routes. When Saudi Arabia [33:58] raises oil prices for Asia, refineries in China, India, and Japan have to recalculate the costs. [34:05] And when the price of gasoline rises in the United States, the political pressure goes straight to [34:12] the White House. That's why Trump is now between two fronts. On one front, he wants to show that [34:19] he's not folding against Iran. On the other front, he wants a deal that opens Homus, reduces pressure [34:25] on gasoline prices, and allows him to say that the war prevented Iran from getting a nuclear [34:31] weapon without dragging the United States into an endless campaign. In his latest interview, [34:37] Trump confirmed that he called Netanyao crazy during a conversation about fighting in Lebanon, [34:42] but immediately afterwards, he stressed that he likes BB very much, works with him very well, [34:47] and that both of them are wartime leaders. That sentence says a lot about this movement. There is [34:54] friction. There are nerves. There is American pressure on Israel, but there is no complete [35:00] break. Trump is mainly concerned that the fighting in Lebanon could derail the agreement with Iran. [35:07] He claims that the talks are developing quickly, that Iran agreed that it will not have a nuclear [35:12] weapon and that the Ayatollas are also involved in the contacts. And in the same breath, he says that [35:18] the economic price, even if oil is more expensive, is still small compared to the possibility that [35:24] Iran could possess a nuclear weapon. But Secretary of State Marco Rubio is drawing the line more [35:30] sharply. In a Senate hearing, he made clear that there will be no sanctions relief just [35:36] because Iran opens Hormuz. The first condition is opening the straight. After that, Iran must commit [35:42] to concrete and detailed negotiations over the fate of its highly enriched uranium. Any sanctions [35:48] relief, he said, will come only in exchange for the reason of sanctions were imposed in the first [35:54] place, the nuclear program. That is the difference between a ceasefire and a real deal. Opening Homus [36:00] can calm the markets. It can reduce pressure on the White House. It can allow Kuwait, Bahrain, [36:05] and Saudi Arabia to breathe. But from Washington's perspective, that's not enough. The Americans [36:11] want Iran to enter the talks with its conventional shield eroded, its launchers hit, its air defenses [36:18] systems weakened, and its economy under pressure. Just before we continue, it's important that you [36:25] help us spread the truth. You can do that by hitting the subscribe button on TBN Israel, [36:30] our YouTube channel, where we report twice a day about what's happening in this war, in Israel, [36:36] in this region, and we need your help to share this information with the rest of the world. Now, [36:41] we need to move north because Lebanon is no longer only a Lebanese story. The Americans are trying to [36:47] prevent the Lebanese front from becoming a mine inside the negotiations with Iran. In Washington, [36:53] contacts are taking place between Israel and Lebanon. And within that framework, [36:58] a plane is being raised which the United States military would train Lebanese army in order to [37:04] strengthen it against Hisbala and ultimately help disarm the terrorist organization. Israel supports [37:10] such a move, but it is not willing to give up the freedom of action. So according to the emerging [37:15] understandings, Israel will refrain from strikes in the DH district of Beirut as part of the effort [37:21] to prevent a broad escalation. But in southern Lebanon, inside the expanded security zone that [37:28] the IDF currently holds, there is not necessarily a full restriction on the military activity. In [37:34] other words, Washington is trying to put a ceiling on the wall, not to stop Israel completely. [37:40] An American official explained the logic simply. Trump wants to prevent escalation. So, [37:46] Lebanon does not become a central issue in the negotiations with Iran. And that is exactly the [37:53] problem. Iran wants to turn Lebanon into a central issue. From Tehran's perspective, [38:00] is a strategic asset. If the Americans sign a regional agreement, Iran wants to make sure [38:05] that asset is not crushed by Israel while Iran itself is sitting at the table. That's why Thran [38:12] is trying to connect homes, the nuclear issue, sanctions, Lebanon, and perhaps later also Gaza. [38:20] Some in Israel are warning against a dangerous picture. Iran lost important points militarily, [38:27] but it is trying to win politically through the Americans. and is trying to dictate end of the [38:32] war terms in the Gulf, restrain Israel in Lebanon, and preserve Hisbala as an armed force inside the [38:38] Lebanese state. This has to be said carefully. It is not a done deal. This is a campaign that [38:45] is still underway, but it is clear that as the talks with Iran progress, every Israeli action in [38:52] Lebanon is also examined through the eyes of the White House. Every stike in the Dhaka neighborhood [38:58] could become a crisis with Trump. Every launch into northern Israel could bring Israel back into [39:06] the field. And every Iranian message about the violation of the ceasefire on all fronts is meant [39:12] exactly for this to make part of the price of an American Iranian deal. From Isa's perspective, [39:20] that's a dangerous line because a ceasefire does not dismantle hisbala capabilities. If that's [39:27] happening, it's not a solution. And if during the pausebuilds its UV array, the force, its firing [39:35] positions, and its control rooms, then in a few months, Israel may meet the same threat again, [39:41] only under worse diplomatic conditions. And that is why Israel is insisting on two things at the [39:47] same time. not to appear as a side blowing up the American move, but also not to give [39:53] Hisbala immunity in the name of the negotiations with Iran. And that brings us back to the Gulf. [40:00] The event in Kuwait shows what happens when Iran feels that can raise the regional price. It does [40:07] not have to defeat the United States directly. It's enough for it to hit airports, scare the [40:12] shipping companies, spike energy prices, and push Arab states to pressure Washington to reach [40:18] an agreement faster. The American response shows the other side. Washington is not satisfied with [40:25] talks. It is striking tankers, control stations, cryptocurrency exchanges, the shadow fleet, [40:31] and every mechanism that allows the regime to hold on. This is no longer a war on one line. This is a [40:38] war at sea, on the air, in banks, in crypto, in oil, in Lebanon, and in the negotiating rooms. [40:45] Every arena affects the other. A UAV in Kuwait can affect the price of gasoline in America. A [40:52] strike in Lebanon can affect the nuclear talks. A sanction on the cryptocurrency exchange can [40:57] affect the ability of the revolutionary guards to pay their proxies. And that is exactly what [41:03] makes this moment so dangerous because every side wants to show it is in control. But the [41:09] entire system is already full of ignition points. One failed interception is enough. [41:16] One missile hitting an unintended place is enough. One difficult conversation between Washington and [41:23] Jerusalem is enough. One Iranian move through his or through Huz is enough. and the entire [41:29] negotiation can collapse within hours. The war has not stopped. It has simply split into more arenas, [41:37] more pressure, and more decisions that have to be made quietly and quickly. And the question [41:44] now is who will manage to hold out longer? Iran under blockade, Trump under pressure, or Israel, [41:50] which is required to fight, but also not to blow up the agreement that is forming above its head. [41:57] So keep spreading the truth, follow us and most importantly don't forget to click on [42:01] the subscribe button so that you stay tuned to what's happening in Israel boots in the ground [42:05] style. Keep looking for us Pinto and Mati Shashani on our social media platforms and [42:12] the best thing that you can do when you don't know what to do is to pray. So unite in prayer [42:18] for the situation for God to give wisdom to our leaders for the IDF soldiers for the US [42:24] personnel for everybody for the children pray for the family unit of the IDF soldiers because it's [42:32] very hard to go to fight for so long and keep praying for the peace of Jerusalem. [42:43] Hello, this is Mati here in Jerusalem with TBN Israel. This is Yaya Pinto from TVN Israel here [42:49] in Jerusalem. TBNN Israel is keeping viewers informed with Israel focused news, culture, [42:55] and what God is doing in this land. Support TBNI Israel today online at tbn.org/israel. Thank you.
