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.”

    • choui4@lemmy.zip
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      2 hours ago

      I think, considering the totality of the circumstances eg: what america will do/does across the globe; they have a greater chance on their own, of being free, than with the “”““help””“” of the usa

      • couldhavebeenyou@lemmy.zip
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        2 hours ago

        I think the people have a better chance if the regime is busy with another enemy, yes

        Sad it has to be the US but I don’t think they have any other chance

        • Wakmrow [he/him]@hexbear.net
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          2 hours ago

          This is laughable. You should listen to citations needed, they just did an episode about this idiotic “logic”. No, bombing a country to pieces is not fucking helping the people living there.