US and Iran at War: Trump Hesitates, Israel Plans Next Three Weeks – and Germany Sits on the Sidelines
It's March 19, 2026, and the war in the Middle East is entering its third week. What started as a retaliatory strike has long since turned into an all-out conflict engulfing the entire region. With the US and Israel launching new airstrikes almost daily, the question is no longer whether the conflict will escalate, but just how deep it will drag the region and the global economy into the abyss. And right in the thick of it: a US President who doesn't want to pull the plug, and an Israel settling in for the long haul.
Trump's Hesitation: "The Conditions Just Aren't Good Enough Yet"
Conflicting signals have been coming out of the White House lately. On one hand, Donald Trump stresses that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he's the one shutting it down. In a confidential chat with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants a deal, and I don't want one, because the conditions just aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any agreement needs to be "very robust" – meaning Iran must completely abandon any nuclear ambitions. A clear goal, but the path there is bloody. Meanwhile, the death toll in Iran has reportedly climbed over 3,000, according to human rights activists on the ground. At least 1,319 civilians, including 206 children, are said to be among the victims. Figures that have sparked international horror, but haven't been able to stop the military machine so far.
Israel Braces for Weeks of Fighting
While Trump plays for time, Israel takes action. The army is prepared to continue the war for at least another three weeks. A military spokesperson hinted that there are still "thousands of targets" on the list inside Iran – and operations are expected to continue up until the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins early April this year. This is no longer just about symbolic strikes. Israel aims to sustainably destroy Iran's military infrastructure. Particularly sensitive: The US's use of bunker-buster bombs. The GBU-72, weighing over two tonnes, was deployed to take out Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a choke point for global oil trade, is effectively paralysed.
The Invisible Ally: The Story of US Aid to Iraq
You don't need to be a historian to see the irony. Today, the US is hitting Iran with full force. Yet there was a time when Washington and Baghdad were allies against a common enemy. Reading the headline "US Support for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War" these days might make you shake your head in disbelief. Back in the 1980s, during the bitter war between Iran and Iraq, the US unequivocally sided with Saddam Hussein – despite all his human rights abuses. Back then, it was the fear of the Iranian revolution spreading that drove Washington into that alliance. Intelligence, satellite imagery, and even direct military aid flowed to Baghdad to keep Iran in check. Today, a little over 40 years later, the axis has shifted. Now it's the US itself, alongside Israel, dropping bombs on Tehran. A historical backflip that shows just how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Protest from Within: Counter-Terror Chief Resigns
Discontent is growing even within the inner circle of the US administration. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a Republican and usually a Trump ally, has thrown in the towel. His accusation carries weight: the war was started at Israel's urging, not because the US was directly threatened. A remarkable development, showing that not everyone even within the "Maga movement" backs the current strategy. Pressure is mounting on Trump – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Between Concern and Keeping Their Distance
In Europe, the developments are being watched with concern. Fuel prices in Germany remain high, and experts don't expect any quick relief. "As long as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the oil price won't drop," predicts one geopolitics expert. The economic fallout is already massive. Politically, Germany is keeping its distance. Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it unmistakably clear in the Bundestag: "Washington didn't consult us." There will be no German involvement in securing shipping routes – there's simply no plan or mandate for it. The message is that they don't want to alienate their partner, but they're also not going to blindly stumble into a war whose end no one can foresee.
What's Next?
The situation is deadlocked. Despite the heavy blows, Iran is still showing it can fight back, even attacking energy facilities in Qatar – a dangerous move that directly pulls the Arab Gulf states into the conflict. Trump responded by threatening the complete destruction of Iran's South Pars gas field. The spiral of escalation is spinning faster and faster. What's clear:
- Militarily: Israel is geared up for at least three more weeks of fighting.
- Economically: Energy prices stay high, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
- Politically: Even in the US, resistance is stirring; Europe is keeping its distance.
What remains is hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realisation that this war is far from over. The third week has only just begun.