The Middle East Conflict: v2026

If you’re hoping oil prices will stop their rise following the attacks on Iran by the U.S. and Israel, don’t hold your breath. Israel targeted Iran's oil facilities early Sunday. This appears to be the first time Israel has targeted a civilian oil facility in Iran. An Iranian news agency reported at least four tanker drivers were killed. Tehran responded to attacks on its infrastructure by targeting that of its regional neighbors, hitting a desalination plant in Bahrain. Iran's foreign minister then claimed a U.S. airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant for the first time.

The Israeli military says Iran made frequent use of that oil storage facility in Tehran to operate military infrastructure. Even if one gives Israel the benefit of the doubt, rather than being a false claim just to bomb an oil facility, this means less oil in the world market, which will likely further raise prices. As for the desalination plants, could both sides please avoid bombing water facilities? Civilians don’t want a war, but they do want their water.

In addition, Iranian state media reported officials were close to announcing a successor for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed at the start of the war. However, Israel's military tweeted a warning in Farsi, saying Iran was trying to rebuild itself and select a new leader, and that the Israeli Defense Force vowed it would "pursue every successor and every person who seeks to appoint a successor." That’s rather dictatorial and lacking peace-seeking diplomacy.

Anyone who thinks this will be over quickly is fooling themselves. Wars in the Middle East don’t last for weeks – they last for months or years. Today’s 40-somethings have had to put up with the housing bubble collapse in ‘08, then Covid in ‘20, and now yet another unnecessary war in the Middle East. No wonder they feel like the first generation in a long time that will be less successful than their parents. Greed and idiot politics don’t offer them a chance.

The attacks on energy and water infrastructure are a significant escalation in the war. The region depends on desalinated sea water for drinking water. And much of the world relies on oil from the Gulf.

Iran's Assembly of Experts, tasked with appointing a successor, have allegedly reached a majority consensus. As I write this, it appears to be Mojtaba Khamenei, the former Ayotallah’s son. Naturally, Israel and the U.S. will denounce it. Netanyahu said in a press conference he seeks to "destabilize the regime and enable change." Yeah, good luck with that. Anyone with a modicum of common sense knows that isn’t going to happen… or if it does, it will only be short-lived.

China's foreign minister, Wang Yi, said armed conflict in the Middle East will only breed hatred. He called for a ceasefire, while also offering to mediate in the conflict. At least some people understand human behavior if U.S. leaders do not. Well, they do; they just don’t care. They’re self-aggrandizing puppets for the financial industry and the military industrial complex which profit off of never-ending conflicts.

Source used: NPR