USA and Iran at war: Trump hesitates, Israel draws up three-week plan – and Germany is left on the sidelines
It's 19 March 2026, and the war in the Middle East is entering its third week. What began as a retaliatory strike has long since spiralled into a widespread conflagration 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 at the heart of it all: a US president unwilling to pull the plug, and an Israel preparing for the long haul.
Trump's hesitation: "The terms just aren't good enough yet"
Conflicting signals have been emanating from the White House in recent days. On one hand, Donald Trump stresses that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he's the one blocking it himself. In a confidential chat with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants a deal, and I don't, because the terms just aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any agreement must be "very robust" – meaning Iran must completely renounce any nuclear ambitions. A clear objective, but the path there is bloody. Meanwhile, the death toll in Iran has risen to over 3,000, according to local human rights activists. At least 1,319 civilians, including 206 children, are reportedly among the victims. Figures that have sparked international horror, but have so far failed to halt the military machine.
Israel braces for weeks of fighting
While Trump manoeuvres, Israel acts. The army is preparing 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 set to continue up to the Jewish festival of Passover, which begins in early April this year. This is no longer just about symbolic strikes. Israel aims to permanently cripple Iran's military infrastructure. Particularly explosive: the US deployment of bunker-buster bombs. The GBU-72, weighing over two tonnes, has been used 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 spot the irony of history. Today, the US is battling Iran with full force. Yet there was a time when Washington and Baghdad were allies against a common enemy. Anyone reading headlines today about "US support for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War" might shake their head in disbelief. In the 1980s, during the bitter war between Iran and Iraq, the US unequivocally sided with Saddam Hussein – despite all his human rights abuses. It was the fear of the Iranian revolution spreading that drove Washington into that alliance back then. 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 over Tehran. A startling reversal that shows just how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Dissent at home: Counter-terror chief resigns
Discontent is growing even within the innermost circles of the US administration. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a Republican and usually a Trump confidant, has thrown in the towel. His accusation is serious: the war was started at Israel's urging, not because the US was under immediate threat. A remarkable development, showing that not even within the "Maga movement" is everyone behind the current strategy. The pressure on Trump is mounting – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Caught between concern and distance
Europe is watching developments with concern. Fuel prices in Germany remain high, and experts don't expect any rapid relief. "As long as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the oil price won't fall," predicts a geopolitics expert. The economic impact is already massive. Politically, Germany is keeping its distance. Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it unequivocally clear in the Bundestag: "Washington did not consult us." There will be no German participation in securing shipping routes – there is simply no plan or mandate for that. The aim is not to offend the partner, but neither will Germany blindly rush into a war whose end no one can foresee.
What's next?
The situation is deadlocked. Despite the heavy blows, Iran is still demonstrating its ability to fight, and has even attacked energy facilities in Qatar – a dangerous move that directly draws the Arab Gulf states into the conflict. Trump subsequently threatened the complete destruction of Iran's South Pars gas field. The spiral of escalation is spinning ever faster. What's certain is:
- Militarily: Israel is braced for at least another three weeks of combat.
- Economically: Energy prices remain high, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
- Politically: Even in the US, resistance is stirring, while Europe keeps its distance.
What remains is the hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realisation that this war is far from over. The third week has only just begun.