US 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 turned into a full-blown crisis engulfing the entire region. As the US and Israel launch near-daily airstrikes, the question is no longer whether the conflict will escalate, but how much deeper 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 the long haul.
Trump's Hesitation: "The Conditions Just Aren't Good Enough Yet"
Conflicting signals are emerging from the White House these days. On one hand, Donald Trump insists that Iran wants a deal. On the other, he's the one blocking it. In a confidential conversation with US journalists this week, he dropped a bombshell: "Iran wants an agreement, and I don't, because the conditions just aren't good enough yet." For Trump, any deal has to 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 surpassed 3,000, according to local human rights activists. At least 1,319 civilians, including 206 children, are reportedly among the victims. Numbers that have sparked international horror but have so far failed to halt the military machine.
Israel Braces for Weeks of Fighting
While Trump maneuvers, Israel acts. The military has prepared to continue the war for at least another three weeks. A military spokesperson hinted that there are still "thousands of targets" in Iran on the list – aiming to hit them by the Jewish holiday of Passover, which begins in early April this year. This is no longer about symbolic strikes. Israel aims to sustainably destroy Iran's military infrastructure. Particularly explosive: the US deployment of bunker-buster bombs. The over two-ton GBU-72s were used to take out Iranian missile positions near the Strait of Hormuz. The strait, a critical chokepoint for global oil trade, is effectively paralyzed.
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. 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 clearly sided with Saddam Hussein – despite all his human rights abuses. It was the fear of the spread of the Iranian revolution 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 on Tehran. A historical flip-flop that shows just how quickly geopolitical coordinates can shift.
Protest from Within: Counterterror Chief Resigns
Discontent is growing even within the inner circles of the US government. The director of the National Counterterrorism Center, a Republican and usually a Trump confidant, has quit. His accusation carries weight: the war was started at Israel's urging, not because the US was under immediate threat. A remarkable development showing that not everyone in the "MAGA movement" backs the current strategy. The pressure on Trump is mounting – not just from outside, but from within.
Germany and Europe: Caught Between Concern and Distance
In Europe, developments are being watched with concern. Gas prices in Germany remain high, and experts don't expect a quick resolution. "As long as the Strait of Hormuz is blocked, oil prices 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's simply no plan or mandate for that. They don't want to offend the partner, but they also won't blindly rush into a war whose end no one can foresee.
What's Next?
The situation is deadlocked. Despite the heavy blows, Iran continues to show it can fight back and has even attacked energy facilities in Qatar – a dangerous move that draws the Arab Gulf states directly into the conflict. Trump subsequently threatened the complete destruction of Iran's South Pars gas field. The escalation spiral is spinning faster and faster. What's certain:
- Militarily: Israel is prepared for at least three more weeks of combat.
- 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's left is hope for a miracle. Or the bitter realization that this war is far from over. The third week has only just begun.