Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain
Feb 18, 2026

A former senior U.S. intelligence official who is an informal advisor to the Trump administration on Middle East policy told Drop Site that, based on his discussions with current officials, he assesses an 80-90% likelihood of U.S. strikes within weeks.

Iran realizes that it is facing an unprecedented threat from the U.S. if a deal that conforms with Trump’s terms is not reached, former Pentagon official Jasmine El-Gamal told Drop Site. “This is not a dress rehearsal,” she said. “This is it. This is not the negotiations of last year or the year before or the year before that. They’re backed into a corner. There’s no off ramp.”

    • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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      4 hours ago

      Hoping for people to die is a bit of a key difference though

      And not picking those that support ICE in your wonderful example tells us even more

      • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
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        4 hours ago

        Unlike you, I recognize that civilian deaths are inevitable when another country attacks another country with a shit pretext. And not only did I say the pretext to attack the US is it having ice concentration camps, it is more just than your US manufactured pretext to attack Iran). Fuck off dipshit

        • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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          3 hours ago

          You should add more swearing, it really adds to how serious you are about hoping to see me die

          If you think ICE is worse I believe you don’t have a clue about the situation in Iran though

          • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
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            2 hours ago

            If you think Iran should be bombed because they are reactionary and commit attrocities then you’re one of those useful idiots that cheer on imperialism. Lick that boot harder. The attrocities the US did inside and outside their border dwarfs anything Iran did (ICE concentration camps is not the worst the US did by a long shot)

            • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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              1 hour ago

              Do you think we should give up on the Iranian people because the US committed atrocities?

              Also, could you give a more graphical description of how you hope to see me die?

              • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
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                1 hour ago

                Do you think we should give up on the Iranian people because the US committed atrocities?

                No but they have a right to self determination and the US should not interfere, especially when they make it obvious that there’s an ulterior motive and have been inciting violent protests.

                Also, could you give a more graphical description of how you hope to see me die?

                With a prior warning of a roof knocker to disorient you before blasting you to pieces, in order for the nation state that does it to claim they’re the most moral army

                • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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                  34 minutes ago

                  So they ‘have a right’ to self determination but it’s actually preferable that they remain nothing more than cattle to the religious elite, over having at least a chance when that’s given by the wrong hand? Should the Russians have refused US help when they were trying to hold off the nazi’s?

                  Also, a bit boring that that’s your best inspiration though ;-)

                  • KimBongUn420@lemmy.ml
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                    25 minutes ago

                    having at least a chance when that’s given by the wrong hand?

                    Are you talking about the new Al-Qaida leadership in Syria?