Monthly Archives: April 2026

Closing air spaces and cracking alliances: Trump’s growing problem with allies

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A view of the NATO Defence Ministers Meeting held at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium on February 12, 2026. [Dursun Aydemir – Anadolu Agency]

by Dr Binoy Kampmark

With the Iran War groaning along, the Trump administration is getting increasingly indignant.  Plumes of childish anger can be seen coming out of the White House and Pentagon.  Having joined an illegal, joint enterprise with Israel in attacking Iran, allies are proving increasingly unwilling to play along.  

That unwillingness gurgled to the top with Spain’s announcement on March 30 that it had closed its airspace to US aircraft participating in strikes on Iran.  This added to Madrid’s decision earlier in the month to deny the US military access to its bases for military operations against Tehran.  “We don’t authorise either the use of military bases or the use of airspace for actions related to the war in Iran,” Defence Minister Margarita Robles told reporters.  Spain’s Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo, in an interview with radio Cadena SER, called the move consistent and “part of the decision already made by the Spanish government not to participate in or contribute to a war which was initiated unilaterally and against international law.” 

The government of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez has been singularly pertinacious in its characterisation of the Iran War, and more broadly illustrative of the current bad blood in transatlantic relations. 

In a piece for The Economist, Sánchez wrote of his country’s misplaced support for Washington in February 2003 when the then US Secretary of State, Colin Powell, told the UN Security Council most gravely that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, and needed to be attacked. 

The foolishly credulous Spanish Prime Minister at the time, José María Aznar, was convinced that the regime of Saddam Hussein had such weapons.  “Today we face a similar situation, and my government’s position is the same as that voiced by Spanish society two decades ago: NO TO WAR.  No to the unilateral violation of international law.  No to repeating the mistakes of the past.  No to the idea that the world’s problems can be solved with bombs.”

READ: Spain closes airspace to US planes involved in Iran war, defence minister says

Italian authorities have also expressed displeasure at the presumptuousness of their US allies in taking liberties with their military facilities.  In a March 31 report by Corriere della Sera, “several US bombers” that had intended to land at Sigonella air base on route to the Middle East were refused as they had not properly requested authorisation or consulted with the Italian military.  A statement from Palazzo Chigi, the office of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, reiterated that Italy “acts in full compliance with existing international agreements and with the policy guidelines expressed by the Government to Parliament”.

Other allies are openly rebuffing requests by US officials to secure additional military equipment to the Gulf.  Critical here are air-defence systems such as the Patriot batteries that have been dramatically depleted since the outbreak of hostilities.  In the first 16 days of the war, some 1,285 PAC-3 Patriot missiles were used by the US military and Gulf states.  

The Polish Defence Minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz could not have been clearer in his statement on whether Poland’s complement of Patriot air defence systems would make their way to the Middle East.  “Our Patriot batteries and their armaments are used to protect Polish airspace and NATO’s eastern flank.  Nothing is changing in this regard, and we have no plans to move them anywhere!”  Fellow allies understood “the importance of our tasks here.  Poland’s security is an absolute priority.”

As has become customary, US President Donald Trump has led the growls of grievance, billowing with anger on Truth Social about the reluctance of European partners to throw in their lot in what is, at best, a criminal enterprise. 

On the issue of depleted jet fuel supplies restricted by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, he brusquely suggested to his allies that they could purchase supplies from the US (“we have plenty”) and “build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.”  With a demented paternalism, he went on to declare that “You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the USA won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.”  With typically strained logic, he went on to suggest that any assistance would be minor, in any case, as Iran had been “decimated”. “The hard part is done.  Go get your own oil!”

READ: Iran launches missile attack on Israel moments after Trump threat

Special mention was made of mulishness on the part of the UK (“which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran”) and France.  France, for instance, had refused to permit planes carrying military supplies destined for Israel to fly over French territory.  “France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the ‘Butcher of Iran’, who has been successfully eliminated.  The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!!”.

Soon afterwards, a comically crazed and increasingly God loving Pete Hegseth struck a similar note in the Pentagon.  “A lot has been laid bare, a lot has been shown to the world about what our allies would be willing to do for the United States of America,” grumbled the Secretary of Defense (he prefers War) to reporters.  “When we undertake an effort of this scope on behalf of the free world, these are missiles that don’t even range the United States of America, they range allies and others and yet, when we ask for additional assistance or simple access… we get questions or roadblocks or hesitation.”

In his March 30 interview with Al Jazeera, Secretary of State Marco Rubio was also brimming with complaints.  “If NATO is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked but then denying us basic rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement.  That’s a hard one to stay engaged in and say this is good for the United States.”  All this called for a reassessment.  “All of it’s going to have to be re-examined.”  The re-examination, notably judging from the temper of European states, is proving increasingly reciprocal and, in some circles, even welcome.

OPINION: The Iran War: A Great Carbon Emitter

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingClosing air spaces and cracking alliances: Trump’s growing problem with allies

Iran claims strike on Israeli-linked oil tanker in Gulf waters

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Commercial ships anchor off the coast of the United Arab Emirates due to navigation disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, Dubai on March 2, 2026. [Stringer – Anadolu Agency]

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard announced on Wednesday that it had targeted an oil tanker in the Gulf, claiming the vessel was linked to Israel.

In a statement carried by Iranian state television, the Guard said that an oil tanker named “Aqua 1”, which it described as belonging to the Israeli entity, was struck in what it called a “precise missile operation” carried out by its naval forces, adding that the vessel was set ablaze.

Qatar had earlier stated that the tanker was hit within its territorial waters, raising concerns over the expansion of hostilities into sensitive maritime zones in the Gulf.

Meanwhile, the United States has intensified its military posture, deploying 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft to Britain and increasing aerial refuelling operations across Europe.

According to open-source intelligence tracking, multiple Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft conducted coordinated flights from bases in the United Kingdom and Romania on 31st March. Additional refuelling aircraft departed from RAF Mildenhall, carrying out missions over southwest England before returning to base.

READ: Iran rejects Trump’s claim of ceasefire request as “baseless”

Aircraft movements also included a KC-135 Stratotanker (registration 60-0333) and a Lockheed Martin MC-130J Commando II (09-6207), which were observed operating from the same base.

In Romania, several refuelling aircraft were seen departing from Henri Coandă International Airport near Bucharest and heading toward southern Greece.

Further movements included multiple US refuelling aircraft traveling from the United States toward the Middle East, with some reportedly landing in Israel and others continuing toward the region.

The developments come amid escalating tensions following the ongoing war between Israel, the United States, and Iran, with military activity increasingly extending across regional and international theatres.

READ: Iran launches missile attack on Israel moments after Trump threat

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingIran claims strike on Israeli-linked oil tanker in Gulf waters

The politics of death in “Israel’s” prisons

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Palestinians stage a protest against Knesset’s approval of the law that imposes death penalty on Palestinian prisoners in Gaza, Palestine on April 01, 2026. [Abdalhkem Abu Riash – Anadolu Agency]

by Sayid Marcos Tenorio  soupalestina

The approval by the Knesset of a law instituting the death penalty for Palestinian prisoners marks a historic rupture in Israeli penal policy—and a dangerous escalation in the institutionalization of state violence.

For the first time in decades, the Zionist state has formalized execution as a regular instrument of punishment, establishing death, including by hanging, as a standard sentence for Palestinians accused of attacks classified as “terrorism.”

The law, approved by 62 votes to 48, stipulates that executions must be carried out within 90 days of conviction, with severe restrictions on the right to defense, no requirement for judicial unanimity, and virtually no possibility of appeal or clemency.

In practice, this is a legal mechanism designed to target Palestinians exclusively. These cases are tried in military courts, while Jewish settlers—even those involved in acts of violence—and Israeli citizens remain under civil jurisdiction, where such punishment is rarely, if ever, applied.

The racial selectivity of the measure has been widely recognized by experts and international bodies. The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has already classified it as a violation of international law and warned of its discriminatory character.

But this law did not emerge in a vacuum. It is the culmination of a broader process of hardening Israeli prison policies, particularly under the direct influence of Internal Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.

Ben Gvir, a fascist politician and a central figure of Israel’s far right, has built his political trajectory by openly advocating extreme punitive measures against Palestinians. In recent years, he has pushed the government toward increasingly harsh policies, including severe restrictions on prison conditions and even the direct execution of detainees.

His role goes beyond rhetoric. He was one of the main architects of the death penalty law and used his political leverage to pressure Prime Minister and war crimes suspect Benjamin Netanyahu into advancing it.

This dynamic reveals a pattern of political coercion within the Israeli government itself. Dependent on a fragile coalition and under pressure from internal crises and legal accusations, Netanyahu has repeatedly yielded to far-right demands. The result is a continuous escalation of repression, in which Palestinian prisoners have become direct targets.

Today, around 10,000 Palestinians are held in Israeli prisons, including women and hundreds of children.

Reports by human rights organizations indicate a dramatic deterioration in detention conditions, including documented cases of torture, medical neglect, prolonged solitary confinement, and severe restrictions on family visits. Since October 2023, dozens of prisoners have died in Israeli custody, many as a result of abuse or medical neglect.

READ: Israeli law to execute Palestinian prisoners reflects far-right dominance: Israeli daily

In this context, the introduction of the death penalty does not merely represent a new punitive measure—it fundamentally redefines the role of the prison system. Prison ceases to function as a mechanism of containment and becomes a potential space of elimination.

This marks a qualitative shift—from repression to a politics of death.

The Israeli government attempts to justify this escalation in the name of security. However, the evidence tells a different story. Decades of mass incarceration, blockades, and military offensives have failed to eliminate Palestinian resistance.

On the contrary, the persistence of struggle—both inside and outside prisons—reveals the limits of a model based solely on force.

Rather than neutralizing resistance, prisons have become spaces of political organization and consciousness-building. Hunger strikes, internal mobilizations, and the central role of prisoners in political negotiations demonstrate that incarceration has failed to fulfill its intended function.

Faced with this failure, the death penalty emerges as an attempt to reconfigure the repressive system. When imprisonment is no longer sufficient, death becomes the next option.

But this logic carries a fundamental contradiction.

History shows that regimes which rely on extreme violence as a central instrument of governance tend to accelerate their own decline. Repression may impose temporary silence, but it does not eliminate the structural causes of conflict. On the contrary, it often intensifies them.

In the Palestinian case, this reality is unavoidable. Resistance is not a circumstantial phenomenon, but a historical response to a system of occupation and denial of rights. As long as these conditions persist, no policy of punishment—no matter how brutal—will be capable of producing stability.

The death penalty law, therefore, is not a sign of strength.

It is a symptom of crisis—the unfolding collapse of the Zionist regime, already visible across multiple dimensions.

By transforming the prison system into a space of execution, the Zionist “state” not only violates international law. It exposes, unmistakably, the limits of a model that can no longer sustain its own legitimacy.

The politics of death does not resolve the conflict.

It only reveals that the system producing it has run out of alternatives for survival.

OPINION: The collapse of the myth of Israel’s invincibility

The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Related: Palestinian teenager was starved in prison before death, judge rules

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza's hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Keir Starmer objects to criticism of the IDF. He asks how could anyone object to them starving people to death, forced marches like the Nazis did, bombing Gaza’s hospitals and universities, mass-murdering journalists, healthworkers and starving people queuing for food, killing and raping prisoners and murdering children. He calls for people to stop obstructing his genocide for Israel.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingThe politics of death in “Israel’s” prisons

Iran publishes lists of regional bridges in possible ‘tit-for-tat’ retaliation after US-Israeli attack

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King Fahd Causeway – Saudi Bahrain Border [S.Raj/Flickr]

Iranian media published a list of major bridges across the region on Thursday, hinting at a “tit-for-tat” retaliation following a US-Israeli attack on a key bridge in the northern city of Karaj, Anadolu reports.

The semi-official Fars News Agency said that several prominent bridges in regional countries could be possible targets after two strikes hit the B1 bridge early Thursday.

The list includes Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Sea Bridge in Kuwait, King Fahd Causeway linking Saudi Arabia to Bahrain, Sheikh Zayed Bridge and Sheikh Khalifa Bridge in the United Arab Emirates, as well as King Hussein Bridge, Damia Bridge, and Abdoun Bridge in Jordan.

The US and Israel carried out two strikes early Thursday on the B1 bridge, a vital transport link in Karaj in Alborz province, killing two people and causing its destruction.

Videos circulating on social media showed major sections of the bridge collapsing following the attack.

According to media reports, the B1 bridge is one of Iran’s notable modern engineering projects, stretching about 1,000 meters and designed to ease traffic congestion between Tehran and Karaj and facilitate movement toward the country’s northern provinces.

Regional tensions have escalated since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people to date, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Tehran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, as well as Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets.

US defense chief asks Army Chief of Staff Gen. George to step down: Report

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingIran publishes lists of regional bridges in possible ‘tit-for-tat’ retaliation after US-Israeli attack

UN chief warns of wider Middle East war, urges de-escalation

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United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres speaks during a press conference as part of his visit to Lebanon in Beirut, Lebanon, on March 14, 2026. [Houssam Shbaro – Anadolu Agency]

UN Secretary-General António Guterres warned on Thursday of the consequences of the war in the Middle East, saying it is causing widespread destruction and could expand into a full regional conflict.

Speaking to reporters at the UN headquarters in New York, Guterres said “the world is on the edge of a wider war that would engulf the Middle East with dramatic impacts around the globe,” noting that its impact is already being felt in many countries, “in the daily lives of people struggling with rising food and energy costs.”

He said “Every day this war continues, human suffering grows,” warning that any disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz would directly affect the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.

Guterres added that attacks targeting civilians and infrastructure, along with rising food and energy prices, are placing increasing pressure on societies worldwide, stressing that continued escalation will only worsen the situation.

He called for an end to what he described as a “spiral of death and destruction”, urging the protection of civilians and vital facilities, including nuclear sites, and the safeguarding of international maritime navigation.

READ: Iran publishes lists of regional bridges in possible ‘tit-for-tat’ retaliation after US-Israeli attack

This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don't need people to join wars after they've already won. He's challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Donald Trump calls for help from NATO allies in securing the Straight of Hormuz despite saying on 7 March 2026 that they don’t need people to join wars after they’ve already won. He’s challenged with the claim that he lies as much as the IDF.
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel's genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism "without qualification". Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Keir Starmer explains that UK is actively supporting Israel’s genocidal expansion and repeats his previous quotation that he supports Zionism “without qualification”. Keir Starmer said “I said it loud and clear – and meant it – that I support Zionism without qualification.” here: https://www.jewishnews.co.uk/keir-starmer-interview-i-will-work-to-eradicate-antisemitism-from-day-one/
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.
Climate science denier Donald Trump confirms that he knows nothing about democracy and that more liquid gold is being secured according to his policy of global privateering.

Continue ReadingUN chief warns of wider Middle East war, urges de-escalation