USA and Iran at War: Trump Hesitates, Israel Plans for the Next Three Weeks – And Germany is Left Out in the Cold
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 turned into a full-blown conflagration sweeping the entire region. As the US and Israel launch 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 Terms Just Aren't Good Enough Yet"
Conflicting signals are coming out of the White House these days. On one hand, Donald Trump stresses that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he's the one blocking it. In a confidential chat with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants an agreement, and I don't, because the terms just aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any deal has to be "very robust" – meaning Iran must completely abandon its nuclear ambitions. It's a clear goal, but the path there is bloody. Meanwhile, the death toll in Iran has surpassed 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 haven't been able to halt the military machine so far.
Israel Braces for Weeks of Fighting
While Trump plays strategy, Israel takes action. The army has 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 – stretching all the way to 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 explosive: the US deployment of bunker-buster bombs. The massive, over two-ton GBU-72s were used to take out Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a global oil trade choke point, 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 here. 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 headlines like "US Support for Iraq in the Iran-Iraq War" today might shake their head in disbelief. Back in the 1980s, during the bitter war between Iran and Iraq, the US clearly 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, just over 40 years later, the axis has shifted. Now it's the US itself, alongside Israel, dropping bombs on Tehran. A historic somersault that shows just how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Dissent at Home: Counter-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 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 incident showing that not everyone, even in the "MAGA movement," stands behind the current strategy. Pressure on Trump is mounting – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Between Concern and Keeping Their Distance
In Europe, 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," one geopolitics expert predicts. 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 that. They don't want to alienate the partner, but they're not about to blindly leap 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 subsequently threatened 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 prepared for at least another three 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's left is the hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realisation that this war is far from over. Week three has only just begun.