USA and Iran at War: Trump Hesitates, Israel Plans Next Three Weeks – and Germany Stays on the Sidelines
It's March 19, 2026, and the war in the Middle East is entering its third week. What began as a retaliatory strike has long since spiraled into a major conflict engulfing the entire region. As the US and Israel launch near-daily airstrikes, 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 center of it all: a US President unwilling to pull the plug, and an Israel bracing for a long haul.
Trump's Hesitation: "The Conditions Aren't Good Enough Yet"
Conflicting signals are coming from the White House these days. On one hand, Donald Trump emphasizes that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he himself is blocking it. In a confidential talk with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants a deal, and I don't want one, because the conditions aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any agreement must be "very robust" – meaning Iran must completely abandon its nuclear ambitions. A clear goal, 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 said to be among the victims. Numbers that have caused international horror but haven't been able to stop the military machine so far.
Israel Prepares for Weeks of Fighting
While Trump plays tactics, Israel acts. The army has braced itself to continue the war for at least another three weeks. A military spokesperson hinted that there are still "thousands of targets" on the list in Iran – and this will continue up until the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins early April this year. This is no longer just about symbolic strikes. Israel wants to sustainably destroy Iran's military infrastructure. Particularly explosive: the US deployment of bunker-buster bombs. The GBU-72, weighing over two tons, was used to take out Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, the choke point of 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 of history. Today, the US is fighting Iran with full force. But there was a time when Washington and Baghdad were allies against a common enemy. Anyone reading the 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 clearly sided with Saddam Hussein – despite all his human rights violations. It was the fear of the spread of the Iranian revolution that drove Washington into that alliance back then. Intelligence information, satellite imagery, and even direct military aid flowed to Baghdad to keep Iran in check. Today, a good 40 years later, the axis has shifted. Now it's the US itself, together with Israel, dropping bombs on Tehran. A historical somersault that shows how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Protest from Within: Anti-Terror Chief Resigns
Even within the tightest circles of the US government, discontent is growing. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a Republican and actually a Trump confidant, has quit. His accusation carries weight: The war was started at Israel's urging, not because the US was directly threatened. A remarkable incident showing that not everyone, even within the "Maga movement," stands behind the current strategy. The pressure on Trump is growing – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Between Concern and Keeping Distance
In Europe, developments are being watched with concern. Fuel prices in Germany remain high, and experts don't expect a quick relief. "As long as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, the oil price won't drop," predicts a geopolitics expert. The economic consequences are already massive. Politically, Germany is keeping its distance. Chancellor Friedrich Merz made it unmistakably 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. They don't want to alienate the partner, but they won't blindly stumble into a war whose end no one can foresee either.
What Comes Next?
The situation is deadlocked. Despite the heavy blows, Iran is showing it can still defend itself and has even attacked energy facilities in Qatar – a dangerous move that draws the Arab Gulf states directly into the conflict. Trump then threatened the complete destruction of Iran's South Pars gas field. The spiral of escalation is turning faster and faster. What's certain is:
- Militarily: Israel has braced for at least another three weeks of fighting.
- Economically: Energy prices remain high, the Strait of Hormuz is blocked.
- Politically: Even in the US, resistance is stirring; Europe is keeping its distance.
What remains is the hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realization that this war is far from over. The third week has only just begun.