I am traveling today and will be doing quite a bit of traveling over the next couple of weeks. But I wanted to get this out immediately.

You can listen to me read this analysis here:

“To the Iranian people. Your hour of freedom is at hand. America is backing you with overwhelming strength and devastating force. Now is the time to seize control of your destiny.” ~President Trump

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Today, as the might of America’s military gathered in protection around Israel, Israeli forces launched attacks on Iran.

What Israel did to Tehran this morning: Precision strikes on the IRGC Intelligence Directorate. Explosions near the Supreme Leader’s office. Three detonations in central Tehran confirmed by Iranian state media itself.

We are hearing that Gholam-Hossein Mohseni-Ejei, Head of the Judiciary in Iran was eliminated. He gave the death sentence to thousands of protesters.

Below you can hear joyous laughter as it appears Khamenei's home compound has been hit.

I pray the tears of joy do not turn to tears of sorrow.

What has Iran done so far in response? It has not attacked Israel. It launched strikes on US military bases in 6 Arab Gulf States.

Bahrain. Confirmed hit on the US Navy Fifth Fleet headquarters. Bahrain’s own state news agency reported the strike. No casualty figures released yet. This is the command center for every American naval operation in the Persian Gulf. It was struck.

UAE. Multiple missiles intercepted by Emirati air defenses. One civilian killed in Abu Dhabi from falling debris. The UAE defense ministry confirmed the intercepts. The Emirates just absorbed an act of war on its sovereign territory from a country it shares a maritime border with.

Qatar. Missile intercepted. Zero damage. The Qatari Interior Ministry confirmed. The same country Iran just attacked is the country that hosted Al Udeid for twenty years as a gesture of regional balance. That balance ended this morning.

Kuwait. KUNA state news agency confirmed missiles were “dealt with” in Kuwaiti airspace. No reported damage. Kuwait, which stayed neutral through every Gulf crisis since 1991, just had Iranian ballistic missiles flying over its cities.

Jordan. Two Iranian ballistic missiles shot down by Jordanian military. Confirmed by the Jordanian armed forces directly. Jordan intercepted Iranian missiles in June 2025 as well. That was in defense of Israel. This time Iran targeted Jordan itself.

Saudi Arabia. Fars News claims strikes. No confirmation from any Saudi source. No Tier 1 or Tier 2 verification. Either it did not happen or Riyadh is not yet ready to say it did. Both possibilities carry enormous implications.

Understand what this means. In retaliating against Israel and America, the IRGC fired missiles at six sovereign MUSLIM ARAB nations in a single morning. Not one of those nations attacked Iran. Bahrain did not bomb Tehran. The UAE did not launch strikes on Isfahan. Qatar hosted diplomatic back channels. Kuwait maintained neutrality for three decades. Jordan was mediating.

Granted, the IRGC attacked US military bases, but these are bases in neighboring countries. Presumably, Iran hopes to create a wedge between the United States and these nations.

On the other hand, Iran could be pushing these nations into a closer alliance with the US. Every nation whose airspace was violated, whose civilians were killed, whose sovereignty was breached now has legal and political justification to join whatever coalition forms next.

It remains to be seen what those coalitions will be.

What did Iran achieve from all its belligerent threats of destroying America and Israel?

One civilian dead from debris. Intercepts across four countries. No confirmed destruction of any US military asset. No reported American casualties among 40,000 troops in theater. Iran fired at the entire Gulf and the Gulf caught almost everything.

In contrast, Isreal’s precision strikes hit all of its targets.

This is the asymmetry that will define the next 72 hours. Iran demonstrated intent to strike everywhere and capability to hit almost nothing. The Gulf states demonstrated they can defend themselves. And now those states must decide whether the country that just fired ballistic missiles across their borders gets to do it again. (from Shanaka Anslem Perera)

The escalation marks a significant widening of the conflict, with the potential for counterattacks from multiple fronts.

The question remains how Gulf States respond if their own people are killed. How about Turkey? There are a significant number of Turks working in these countries. How will Turkey respond to casualties?

I have been following with great interest what Mosab Hassan Yousef has to say about all of this. (expressing anger at his comments against evangelical Christians) Here is what he said today:

Toppling the regime in Tehran without a day-after plan, no exit strategy, no replacement?

It’s proof of how reckless the leaders calling the shots are when millions of lives hang in the balance.The cork is open.Now they shall live with the djinn.

There does seem to be a plan: Reza Pahlavi.

Pahlavi, the exiled son of Iran’s last shah and a leading figure in the Iranian opposition, is in Washington DC, where he held a major press conference yesterday.

And today, he addressed the Iranian people, declaring that “moments of destiny” lie ahead. He urged citizens to remain ready for what he described as a final battle. He also appealed directly to Iran’s military and security forces to side with the people.

Yet, despite what we hear in the media in the West, not everyone in Iran wants to see the monarchist Pahlavi installed, as it would appear, by the US government. They want democratic elections.

If the Islamic regime is toppled, and it probably will be, the transition will not be easy, as there are many factions vying for power.

The People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran, better known as the MEK, is a leftist organization generally detested in Iran. However, it has backing outside the country that could cause considerable internal strife.

A third option consists of republicans tracing their political and intellectual lineage to Mohammad Mossadegh, Iran’s nationalist prime minister deposed in 1953. They advocate a secular republican order grounded in popular sovereignty.

The people of Iran are tired of tyranny. They what democratic elections, but that cannot suddenly happen. It seems the only viable solution is to install Reza Pahlavi.

In Israel, the people prepare once again for missiles to rain on their heads.

Israel has been at war with surrounding enemies that have vowed its destruction since 1948. Here are some images from Israel:

Click HERE to see students in Tehran thanking President Trump for coming to their aid.

I pray for the courageous people if Israel. I pray for our courageous American soldiers. I pray for the courageous Iranians who have fought so long and hard to regain their freedom. Please let this war be swift and decisive.

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