1
00:00:16,820 --> 00:00:22,300
Hezbollah has entered the war. 
It is Monday March 2nd, 2026, 

2
00:00:22,780 --> 00:00:27,180
day three of Operation Epic Fury
and the conflict that began in 

3
00:00:27,180 --> 00:00:29,820
Iran has now officially spread 
to Lebanon. 

4
00:00:30,220 --> 00:00:35,100
This is episode 3 of Epic Fury, 
the US Iran War podcast. 

5
00:00:35,580 --> 00:00:38,500
A great deal has happened in the
last 24 hours. 

6
00:00:38,960 --> 00:00:42,320
Let's get straight into it. 
Let's start with the development

7
00:00:42,320 --> 00:00:45,040
that changes the entire shape of
this conflict. 

8
00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:48,600
Hezbollah has fired rockets into
northern Israel for the first 

9
00:00:48,600 --> 00:00:52,400
time since the November 2024 
ceasefire that ended more than a

10
00:00:52,400 --> 00:00:54,800
year of hostilities between the 
two sides. 

11
00:00:55,200 --> 00:00:58,120
In the early hours of Monday 
morning, Israeli sources 

12
00:00:58,120 --> 00:01:01,200
reported projectiles being 
launched from within Lebanon 

13
00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:05,040
toward Israeli territory, 
setting off sirens across Haifa 

14
00:01:05,040 --> 00:01:08,240
and the upper Galilee. 
The IDF said it intercepted a 

15
00:01:08,240 --> 00:01:10,480
rocket while others hit open 
areas. 

16
00:01:10,880 --> 00:01:14,560
Israeli intelligence believe the
attack was ordered directly from

17
00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,720
Tehran. 
The IDF spokesperson issued an 

18
00:01:17,720 --> 00:01:20,520
emergency statement. 
It said the attack is to be 

19
00:01:20,520 --> 00:01:23,680
considered an official 
declaration of war by Hezbollah.

20
00:01:24,200 --> 00:01:27,320
The IDF vowed to neutralize the 
threat immediately. 

21
00:01:27,720 --> 00:01:30,480
Israel's response was immediate 
and severe. 

22
00:01:30,880 --> 00:01:34,440
The IDF launched a series of 
strategic bombing strikes on 

23
00:01:34,440 --> 00:01:37,920
Beirut and the Beka Valley. 
Strikes also hit southern 

24
00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,280
Lebanon. 
Smoke was seen rising from 

25
00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:43,760
Dahiya, Hezbollah's stronghold 
in Beirut's southern suburbs, 

26
00:01:43,960 --> 00:01:46,760
and footage published by The 
Associated Press in the early 

27
00:01:46,760 --> 00:01:50,080
hours of Monday morning. 
Hezbollah's leader, Naeem Qasim,

28
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,280
had made a statement just hours 
earlier saying his movement 

29
00:01:53,280 --> 00:01:55,840
would undertake its duty of 
confronting the aggression. 

30
00:01:56,360 --> 00:01:59,520
He said Hezbollah would not 
leave the field of honor and 

31
00:01:59,520 --> 00:02:02,320
resistance. 
He made clear for the avoidance 

32
00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:05,920
of any doubt that Hezbollah is 
not neutral in this conflict. 

33
00:02:06,320 --> 00:02:09,440
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf 
Salam urged restraint, 

34
00:02:09,840 --> 00:02:13,080
cautioning that Lebanon must not
be drawn into a wider regional 

35
00:02:13,080 --> 00:02:16,440
war and should prioritize its 
own security and stability. 

36
00:02:16,840 --> 00:02:20,000
Lebanon's government convened an
emergency cabinet meeting 

37
00:02:20,000 --> 00:02:23,600
following Hezbollah's attack and
the subsequent Israeli strikes 

38
00:02:23,600 --> 00:02:27,040
on Lebanese territory. 
Israel also killed the head of 

39
00:02:27,040 --> 00:02:29,960
Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc 
in the Lebanese parliament. 

40
00:02:30,360 --> 00:02:34,040
Muhammad Rod, 1 of Hezbollah's 
most senior political figures, 

41
00:02:34,320 --> 00:02:37,280
was confirmed killed in an 
Israeli strike, according to 

42
00:02:37,280 --> 00:02:40,320
Saudi channel Al Haddeth. 
Let that sink in. 

43
00:02:40,680 --> 00:02:44,080
We are on day three. 
The conflict has officially 

44
00:02:44,080 --> 00:02:47,640
spread from Iran to Lebanon. 
Hezbollah, which did not 

45
00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:51,240
directly intervene during the 12
day war between Iran and Israel 

46
00:02:51,240 --> 00:02:55,360
back in June 2025, has now 
entered this fight and Israel 

47
00:02:55,360 --> 00:02:59,280
has responded by bombing Beirut.
Now let's talk about something 

48
00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:01,320
extraordinary that happened 
overnight. 

49
00:03:02,120 --> 00:03:05,480
A British military base was 
struck in the first hours of 

50
00:03:05,480 --> 00:03:08,400
Monday, March 2nd. 
Reports emerged that RAF 

51
00:03:08,400 --> 00:03:12,280
Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus
had been hit by a drone, causing

52
00:03:12,280 --> 00:03:15,240
minor structural damage and 
setting off air raid sirens 

53
00:03:15,240 --> 00:03:17,160
across the British Sovereign 
Base areas. 

54
00:03:17,560 --> 00:03:21,280
Multiple local and international
sources reported the incident. 

55
00:03:21,680 --> 00:03:24,840
The British military's automated
alert system stated there was an

56
00:03:24,840 --> 00:03:28,560
ongoing security threat, and the
Ministry of Defense confirmed 

57
00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:32,320
the base had responded to the 
attack. 5 drones were reportedly

58
00:03:32,320 --> 00:03:35,360
intercepted, although one 
managed to hit the airfield. 

59
00:03:35,760 --> 00:03:39,480
As of the time of recording. 
No official confirmation of who 

60
00:03:39,480 --> 00:03:43,760
was responsible has been given. 
However, the timing leaves 

61
00:03:43,760 --> 00:03:46,080
little doubt in the minds of 
most analysts. 

62
00:03:46,520 --> 00:03:50,200
RAF Akrotiri is one of Britain's
most strategically important 

63
00:03:50,200 --> 00:03:53,760
overseas military installations 
and serves as a key hub for 

64
00:03:53,760 --> 00:03:55,480
operations across the Middle 
East. 

65
00:03:55,880 --> 00:03:59,800
If confirmed as an Iranian or 
Iranian proxy strike, it would 

66
00:03:59,800 --> 00:04:03,120
represent an extraordinary 
escalation, marking the first 

67
00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,160
attack on British sovereign 
territory since the Second World

68
00:04:06,160 --> 00:04:08,360
War. 
Now let's talk about the B2 

69
00:04:08,360 --> 00:04:11,280
bombers because the United 
States has significantly 

70
00:04:11,280 --> 00:04:13,800
escalated its military campaign 
overnight. 

71
00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:18,120
United States Air Force B2 
Spirit Stealth bombers conducted

72
00:04:18,120 --> 00:04:21,600
new strikes against Iranian 
targets in the latest wave of 

73
00:04:21,600 --> 00:04:25,760
Operation Epic Fury overnight. 
The B2 is the most advanced 

74
00:04:25,760 --> 00:04:28,920
strategic bomber in the world, 
capable of carrying both 

75
00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,160
conventional and nuclear weapons
and specifically designed to 

76
00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,840
penetrate hardened, deeply 
buried targets. 

77
00:04:35,280 --> 00:04:37,920
Its deployment signals that the 
United States is targeting the 

78
00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,360
most fortified underground 
facilities in Iran's nuclear and

79
00:04:41,360 --> 00:04:44,600
military infrastructure, bunkers
that conventional aircraft 

80
00:04:44,600 --> 00:04:48,640
simply cannot reach for. 
Dow, the deeply buried uranium 

81
00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,080
enrichment facility that 
survived the June 2025 strikes, 

82
00:04:52,440 --> 00:04:55,560
is believed to be among the 
targets that only AB2 can 

83
00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,040
reliably destroy. 
Trump released a second video 

84
00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:02,480
address on Truth Social, 
updating the American public. 

85
00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,040
He said the campaign had hit 
hundreds of targets in Iran, 

86
00:05:06,080 --> 00:05:08,400
including Revolutionary Guard 
facilities. 

87
00:05:08,880 --> 00:05:11,680
He confirmed 9 Iranian ships 
have been struck. 

88
00:05:12,080 --> 00:05:15,400
Iran's air defense systems, he 
said, have been largely 

89
00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,680
destroyed. 
In an interview with the Daily 

90
00:05:17,680 --> 00:05:20,920
Mail, Trump said he expected the
operation to be concluded in 

91
00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,840
four weeks or less. 
This is the first time a 

92
00:05:23,840 --> 00:05:27,240
specific time frame has been 
publicly put on record by the 

93
00:05:27,240 --> 00:05:30,360
president. 
Trump also told CNBC the 

94
00:05:30,360 --> 00:05:33,840
operation was moving along very 
well ahead of schedule. 

95
00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,520
Now let's talk about the total 
death toll because the numbers 

96
00:05:37,520 --> 00:05:39,480
are staggering and still 
climbing. 

97
00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,400
Iran's Red Crescent Society 
released a statement on Monday 

98
00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:47,640
saying that at least 555 people 
have been killed in the United 

99
00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:49,760
States and Israeli strikes on 
Iran. 

100
00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:53,520
That figure is expected to rise 
significantly as communications 

101
00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:56,520
are restored and rescue 
operations reach areas struck in

102
00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,640
the opening waves. 
The most painful single incident

103
00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:04,160
remains the min of school 
airstrike. 148 children killed 

104
00:06:04,160 --> 00:06:06,880
in a girl's elementary school in
southern Iran. 

105
00:06:07,320 --> 00:06:10,480
That figure has not changed 
since Sunday but continues to 

106
00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:13,040
generate enormous international 
reaction. 

107
00:06:13,560 --> 00:06:16,640
The Iranian Red Crescent also 
reported explosions near 

108
00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:20,440
hospitals in Tehran and near its
peace building headquarters in 

109
00:06:20,440 --> 00:06:23,400
Israel. 
A woman was killed and 27 others

110
00:06:23,400 --> 00:06:26,280
were injured when an Iranian 
missile struck a residential 

111
00:06:26,280 --> 00:06:29,640
area in Tel Aviv. 
A9 Story building was struck by 

112
00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:32,600
a missile in northern Israel, 
injuring one person. 

113
00:06:33,080 --> 00:06:36,320
Strikes were reported in Haifa 
and Tel Aviv throughout the 

114
00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:38,400
night. 
Now let's talk about what is 

115
00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:41,880
happening in the global economy,
because this war is not just 

116
00:06:41,880 --> 00:06:45,880
reshaping the Middle East, it is
reshaping financial markets 

117
00:06:45,880 --> 00:06:48,600
around the world. 
When trading opened on Monday 

118
00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:51,440
morning, the reaction was 
immediate and severe. 

119
00:06:51,840 --> 00:06:55,320
Brent crude oil, the global 
benchmark, surged sharply toward

120
00:06:55,320 --> 00:06:57,840
the 85 to $90.00 per barrel 
range. 

121
00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:00,960
That is up from $73 just days 
ago. 

122
00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:04,280
At the same time, stock futures 
tumbled. 

123
00:07:04,880 --> 00:07:08,560
Futures for the S&P 500 plunged 
over 1%. 

124
00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:12,840
NASDAQ 100 contracts were down 1
1/2 percent. 

125
00:07:13,600 --> 00:07:17,920
Dow futures dropped sharply. 
Gold surged as investors rushed 

126
00:07:17,920 --> 00:07:22,200
to safe havens. the United 
States dollar strengthened and 

127
00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:26,040
natural gas prices rose 
approximately 2%, raising the 

128
00:07:26,040 --> 00:07:29,680
prospect of higher electricity 
bills across Europe and beyond. 

129
00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:33,240
The reason markets are this 
rattled comes down to one word, 

130
00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:36,480
hornless. 
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow

131
00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:40,040
waterway just 21 miles wide at 
its narrowest point. 

132
00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:44,600
Located between Iran and Oman, 
it is the single most important 

133
00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:48,640
oil choke point on the planet. 
Approximately 20 million barrels

134
00:07:48,640 --> 00:07:51,000
of oil flow through it every 
single day. 

135
00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:54,680
That is roughly 1/5 of all daily
global oil production. 

136
00:07:55,120 --> 00:07:59,320
Every barrel of oil exported 
from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq,

137
00:07:59,440 --> 00:08:02,640
the UAE and Iran itself passes 
through the Strait. 

138
00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,200
There is no viable alternative 
route that can handle this 

139
00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:09,680
volume of traffic. 
The Saudi East West pipeline and

140
00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:12,920
the UAE Fujairah pipeline 
together can divert only a 

141
00:08:12,920 --> 00:08:16,680
fraction of that flow. 
Iran controls the northern shore

142
00:08:16,680 --> 00:08:19,640
of the Strait, and Iran has 
threatened to close it. 

143
00:08:20,040 --> 00:08:23,640
As of Monday morning, Iran had 
not formally closed the Strait 

144
00:08:23,640 --> 00:08:26,800
of Hormuz. 
However, the practical situation

145
00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:29,800
was already dire. 
At least six of the world's 

146
00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,720
leading cargo shipping companies
announced they were halting or 

147
00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:35,039
diverting ships that have been 
due to sail through the 

148
00:08:35,039 --> 00:08:37,840
waterway. 
Insurance premiums for vessels 

149
00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:41,200
transiting the straight hit six 
year highs, making passage 

150
00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:44,200
economically unviable for most 
commercial operators. 

151
00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:48,680
The result is what analysts are 
calling a de facto closure, not 

152
00:08:48,680 --> 00:08:52,240
a formal blockade, but the same 
economic effect. 

153
00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,960
JP Morgan Chase analysts 
released a note on Sunday 

154
00:08:56,000 --> 00:08:58,720
outlining what they call the 
four variables that will 

155
00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:02,520
determine where oil prices go 
from here, how much supply is 

156
00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:06,360
disrupted, how long the 
disruption lasts, whether other 

157
00:09:06,360 --> 00:09:09,960
producers can mobilize quickly, 
and what comes next 

158
00:09:09,960 --> 00:09:14,280
diplomatically and militarily On
every one of those 4 variables, 

159
00:09:14,400 --> 00:09:17,400
the picture as of Monday morning
is deeply uncertain. 

160
00:09:17,960 --> 00:09:21,440
OPEC announced an increase in 
production to try to offset the 

161
00:09:21,440 --> 00:09:24,520
disruption. 
Analysts were skeptical it would

162
00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:27,440
be enough. 
Saudi Arabia alone holds 

163
00:09:27,440 --> 00:09:30,960
approximately 2 to 3,000,000 
barrels per day of spare 

164
00:09:30,960 --> 00:09:33,680
production capacity. 
But if the straight remains 

165
00:09:33,680 --> 00:09:37,200
effectively closed, that 
additional production cannot 

166
00:09:37,200 --> 00:09:40,400
reach global markets. 
Regardless, if Brent crude were 

167
00:09:40,400 --> 00:09:44,320
to sustain above $100 per 
barrel, economists estimate it 

168
00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:49,880
could add 0.6 to 0.7% to global 
inflation for families already 

169
00:09:49,880 --> 00:09:52,280
dealing with the cost of living 
pressures that have dominated 

170
00:09:52,280 --> 00:09:55,320
politics across the Western 
world for the past three years. 

171
00:09:55,520 --> 00:09:59,000
Higher petrol prices, higher 
energy bills and higher food 

172
00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:02,080
prices driven by transport costs
will be the most direct and 

173
00:10:02,080 --> 00:10:05,000
immediate consequence of this 
conflict landing in their daily 

174
00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,520
lives. 
The targeting of the Rasta Neuro

175
00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,160
oil refinery in Saudi Arabia by 
an Iranian drone on Sunday, even

176
00:10:12,160 --> 00:10:15,760
though it was intercepted, send 
a specific signal to markets. 

177
00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:20,080
Rastanura is one of the largest 
oil export facilities in the 

178
00:10:20,080 --> 00:10:22,480
world. 
A successful strike there would 

179
00:10:22,480 --> 00:10:25,840
be one of the most consequential
single events in global energy 

180
00:10:25,840 --> 00:10:28,640
history. 
Markets priced in the risk 

181
00:10:28,640 --> 00:10:31,560
accordingly. 
Now let's talk about Iran's 

182
00:10:31,560 --> 00:10:35,040
retaliatory campaign. 
Because Tehran has not stopped 

183
00:10:35,040 --> 00:10:38,200
fighting. 
Iran designated its retaliatory 

184
00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:42,840
campaign operation True Promise.
For since the operation began, 

185
00:10:43,160 --> 00:10:47,520
Iran launched 165 ballistic 
missiles, 2 cruise missiles, and

186
00:10:47,520 --> 00:10:53,400
541 drones toward Israel alone. 
Of those 152 ballistic missiles,

187
00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:57,280
both cruise missiles and 506 
drones were intercepted by 

188
00:10:57,280 --> 00:11:01,240
Israeli air defenses. 
But 35 drones fell within 

189
00:11:01,240 --> 00:11:04,920
Israeli territory, causing 
material damage and casualties. 

190
00:11:05,280 --> 00:11:10,680
Beyond Israel, 282 Iranian 
missiles and 833 drones were 

191
00:11:10,680 --> 00:11:13,520
intercepted by Gulf state air 
defense forces. 

192
00:11:13,960 --> 00:11:17,960
Countries targeted by Iran 
included Jordan, Syria, Kuwait, 

193
00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:22,280
Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, 
Oman and the United Arab 

194
00:11:22,280 --> 00:11:24,760
Emirates. 
In the UAE, one person was 

195
00:11:24,760 --> 00:11:27,560
killed and seven were injured 
when a drone hit Zayed 

196
00:11:27,560 --> 00:11:29,560
International Airport in Abu 
Dhabi. 

197
00:11:30,160 --> 00:11:33,760
The outer facade of the Burj Al 
Arab hotel in Dubai caught fire 

198
00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,880
from interception debris. 
Jebel Ali port in Dubai, one of 

199
00:11:37,880 --> 00:11:41,000
the busiest ports in the world, 
also caught fire. 

200
00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:43,920
A concourse at Dubai 
International Airport was 

201
00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:46,560
damaged. 
Iran also struck the United 

202
00:11:46,560 --> 00:11:50,000
States Fifth Fleet headquarters 
in Bahrain and Al Udiyid air 

203
00:11:50,000 --> 00:11:53,800
base in Qatar. 
The IRGC announced a fresh large

204
00:11:53,800 --> 00:11:56,240
scale offensive wave on Sunday 
evening. 

205
00:11:56,720 --> 00:12:01,240
Blasts were heard in Riyadh, 
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Manama, 

206
00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:05,400
Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. 
Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE, 

207
00:12:05,400 --> 00:12:08,520
which had previously committed 
only to intercepting Iranian 

208
00:12:08,520 --> 00:12:12,360
salvos, issued statements on 
Sunday signaling A willingness 

209
00:12:12,360 --> 00:12:15,960
to respond directly. 
Saudi Arabia stated it will take

210
00:12:16,040 --> 00:12:19,640
all necessary measures to defend
its security, including with the

211
00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:21,520
option of responding to the 
aggression. 

212
00:12:22,080 --> 00:12:25,440
That represents a significant 
and potentially game changing 

213
00:12:25,440 --> 00:12:28,880
shift from Riyadh's previous 
position of study neutrality. 

214
00:12:29,320 --> 00:12:31,640
The Houthis in Yemen announced 
they were returning to their 

215
00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,200
campaign of attacks in the Red 
Sea in solidarity with Iran, 

216
00:12:35,520 --> 00:12:38,520
raising the prospect of renewed 
disruption to one of the world's

217
00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:42,400
most critical shipping lanes. 
At least 14,000 flights have 

218
00:12:42,400 --> 00:12:46,200
been canceled or disrupted. 
The European Union Aviation 

219
00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,680
Safety Agency issued an 
emergency bulletin advising all 

220
00:12:49,680 --> 00:12:54,080
airlines to avoid the airspace 
of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, 

221
00:12:54,080 --> 00:12:58,760
Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, 
Qatar, the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

222
00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:02,720
Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad 
Airways, El Al, Air India, 

223
00:13:02,960 --> 00:13:07,160
Indigo, Lufthansa Was Air, and 
Virgin Atlantic all suspended 

224
00:13:07,160 --> 00:13:10,320
operations across the region. 
Now let's talk about the 

225
00:13:10,320 --> 00:13:13,680
negotiation situation because 
there has been a genuinely 

226
00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:15,480
surprising diplomatic 
development. 

227
00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:19,400
On Sunday, Trump announced that 
the United States has agreed to 

228
00:13:19,400 --> 00:13:23,600
continue negotiations with Iran.
This came as a surprise to many 

229
00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:26,760
given the scale of the ongoing 
military operation. 

230
00:13:27,400 --> 00:13:30,360
However, Iran's position is far 
less clear. 

231
00:13:30,800 --> 00:13:34,800
Iran's top security official, 
Ali Larijani publicly denied 

232
00:13:34,800 --> 00:13:38,000
that Tehran had approached the 
United States to resume talks, 

233
00:13:38,400 --> 00:13:41,800
he posted on social media. 
Iran will not negotiate with the

234
00:13:41,800 --> 00:13:44,600
United States. 
However, the Wall Street Journal

235
00:13:44,600 --> 00:13:47,800
reported that Larijani had in 
fact approached the Americans 

236
00:13:47,800 --> 00:13:50,400
through Oman's mediation with 
the aim of reviving 

237
00:13:50,400 --> 00:13:52,880
negotiations. 
Oman's foreign minister 

238
00:13:52,880 --> 00:13:56,000
confirmed he had spoken with 
Iran's Foreign Minister Arachi 

239
00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:59,560
and affirmed Oman's continued 
call for a ceasefire and return 

240
00:13:59,560 --> 00:14:01,840
to dialogue. 
What is actually happening 

241
00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:06,200
behind the scenes is unclear. 
Publicly, Iran says it will not 

242
00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,160
negotiate. 
Privately, signals are being 

243
00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:12,200
sent through Oman. 
This back channel diplomacy, 

244
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,440
happening simultaneously with 
active bombardment on both 

245
00:14:15,440 --> 00:14:19,160
sides, is one of the most 
complex diplomatic situations in

246
00:14:19,160 --> 00:14:22,480
modern history. 
Iran's foreign minister Arachi 

247
00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:24,720
made a striking statement on 
Sunday. 

248
00:14:25,120 --> 00:14:28,560
He suggested that some Iranian 
military units were acting 

249
00:14:28,600 --> 00:14:30,960
independently from central 
government control. 

250
00:14:31,400 --> 00:14:34,840
Read that carefully. 
Iran's own foreign minister is 

251
00:14:34,840 --> 00:14:37,960
suggesting that parts of his 
country's military are operating

252
00:14:37,960 --> 00:14:41,800
outside the command structure. 
That admission speaks directly 

253
00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,440
to the chaos created by the 
deaths of Khamenei and 40 senior

254
00:14:45,440 --> 00:14:47,920
commanders in the opening hours 
of the operation. 

255
00:14:48,480 --> 00:14:51,840
Now let's talk about Congress. 
Because the political battle in 

256
00:14:51,840 --> 00:14:55,320
Washington has intensified. 
Both the House and the Senate 

257
00:14:55,320 --> 00:14:58,560
are set to take votes this week 
on war powers resolutions that 

258
00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:01,440
would block the president from 
using further military force 

259
00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:03,720
against Iran without 
congressional approval. 

260
00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:07,560
However, those votes are 
expected to be largely symbolic.

261
00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:11,560
Even if the resolutions pass, 
they are unlikely to attract the

262
00:15:11,560 --> 00:15:15,000
2/3 majority needed to override 
a presidential veto. 

263
00:15:15,440 --> 00:15:18,960
Retired General Frank McKenzie, 
the former commander of United 

264
00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:22,440
States Central Command, appeared
on Face the Nation to outline 

265
00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:25,080
what to expect. 
He warned that Iran still 

266
00:15:25,080 --> 00:15:28,520
retains significant capability 
to inflict damage across the 

267
00:15:28,520 --> 00:15:31,960
region despite the losses it has
suffered, and cautioned against 

268
00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:34,240
underestimating what Tehran 
could still do. 

269
00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:37,600
Anti war protests have been 
spreading across the United 

270
00:15:37,600 --> 00:15:40,120
States under the banner of hands
off Iran. 

271
00:15:40,480 --> 00:15:43,360
Hundreds gathered at Times 
Square in New York City. 

272
00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,280
Protests were held in Chicago, 
Columbus, Indianapolis, 

273
00:15:47,560 --> 00:15:49,880
Jacksonville, Portland and 
Seattle. 

274
00:15:50,280 --> 00:15:52,760
Now let's look at the 
international picture because 

275
00:15:52,760 --> 00:15:56,640
the world is mobilizing rapidly.
The European Union's foreign 

276
00:15:56,640 --> 00:15:59,560
policy chief, Kaia Carlos, 
described the situation as 

277
00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,920
perilous and call for civilians 
to be protected and for 

278
00:16:02,920 --> 00:16:06,760
international law to be upheld. 
French President Emmanuel Macron

279
00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,600
warned that the conflict carries
grave consequences for 

280
00:16:09,600 --> 00:16:12,880
international peace and security
and called for an urgent meeting

281
00:16:12,880 --> 00:16:14,840
of the United Nations Security 
Council. 

282
00:16:15,400 --> 00:16:17,920
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz
said he would travel to 

283
00:16:17,920 --> 00:16:21,200
Washington on Tuesday to speak 
directly with President Trump 

284
00:16:21,200 --> 00:16:23,920
about the latest developments. 
The EU 3. 

285
00:16:24,080 --> 00:16:27,520
The United Kingdom, France and 
Germany resolved to back, if 

286
00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:30,680
needed, proportionate military 
defensive measures against 

287
00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:33,600
Iranian drones and ballistic 
missiles, signaling the 

288
00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:36,520
potential for direct European 
military involvement in 

289
00:16:36,520 --> 00:16:38,440
defending against Iranian 
attacks. 

290
00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:41,600
British Prime Minister Kier 
Starmer confirmed that United 

291
00:16:41,600 --> 00:16:44,960
States forces can use British 
bases for defensive strikes on 

292
00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,320
Iran. 
He said British planes are in 

293
00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,920
the sky today as part of 
coordinated regional defensive 

294
00:16:50,920 --> 00:16:52,880
operations. 
He added. 

295
00:16:53,040 --> 00:16:56,800
Iran can end this now. 
Pope Leo the 14th called on all 

296
00:16:56,800 --> 00:16:59,840
involved nations to stop what he
described as the spiral of 

297
00:16:59,840 --> 00:17:03,000
violence, warning that the war 
could lead to a tragedy of 

298
00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:06,400
enormous proportions. 
Russia and China continue to 

299
00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:10,240
condemn the operation. 
Pakistan saw further violent 

300
00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:13,200
clashes near the United States 
consulate in Karachi. 

301
00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:16,119
North Korea maintained its 
denunciation. 

302
00:17:16,640 --> 00:17:19,560
Now let's step back and think 
about where we are as we enter 

303
00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,240
Day 4. 
The conflict has widened 

304
00:17:22,240 --> 00:17:26,920
dramatically in 72 hours. 
It began as a United States and 

305
00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:31,360
Israeli campaign against Iran. 
It has now drawn in Hezbollah in

306
00:17:31,360 --> 00:17:34,880
Lebanon with Israeli bombers 
over Beirut for the first time 

307
00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:38,200
since 2024. 
It has struck British sovereign 

308
00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:42,160
territory in Cyprus. 
Saudi Arabia's most important 

309
00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:45,720
oil facility has been targeted. 
Gulf states that were never 

310
00:17:45,720 --> 00:17:48,440
meant to be part of this 
conflict are under sustained 

311
00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:51,840
attack. 14,000 flights remain 
disrupted. 

312
00:17:52,280 --> 00:17:54,920
Global oil markets are under 
severe pressure, with Brent 

313
00:17:54,920 --> 00:17:58,880
crude surging toward $90.00 and 
the Strait of Hormuz effectively

314
00:17:58,880 --> 00:18:02,920
closed to commercial shipping. 
Iran has lost its supreme leader

315
00:18:02,920 --> 00:18:06,760
and 40 senior commanders, but it
has not stopped fighting. 

316
00:18:07,320 --> 00:18:10,400
Its foreign minister has 
admitted some military units may

317
00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:12,520
be operating without central 
control. 

318
00:18:12,960 --> 00:18:15,720
And the question of who actually
commands Iran's remaining 

319
00:18:15,720 --> 00:18:19,600
missile arsenal, its proxies and
its nuclear knowledge right now 

320
00:18:19,680 --> 00:18:22,800
is the most dangerous unanswered
question in the world. the 

321
00:18:22,800 --> 00:18:25,960
United States is using B2 
stealth bombers. 

322
00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:30,520
Trump says the operation will be
done in four weeks, but nobody 

323
00:18:30,520 --> 00:18:34,360
has defined what done means. 
Doesn't mean a ceasefire. 

324
00:18:34,920 --> 00:18:37,440
Does it mean the fall of the 
Islamic Republic? 

325
00:18:38,160 --> 00:18:41,280
Does it mean a new nuclear 
agreement signed under military 

326
00:18:41,280 --> 00:18:43,200
duress? 
Nobody knows. 

327
00:18:43,600 --> 00:18:48,440
Three Americans are dead. 555 
Iranians are confirmed dead, 

328
00:18:48,440 --> 00:18:53,120
with a number rising. 148 of 
them are children from a school 

329
00:18:53,120 --> 00:18:55,480
in Minnah. 
Oil is surging. 

330
00:18:55,880 --> 00:18:59,840
Stock markets are falling. 
Hezbollah is firing rockets. 

331
00:19:00,240 --> 00:19:04,320
Beirut is being bombed, a 
British base in Cyprus has been 

332
00:19:04,320 --> 00:19:07,760
struck, and the bombs on both 
sides are still falling. 

333
00:19:08,360 --> 00:19:13,160
That is episode 3 of Epic Fury, 
the US Iran war podcast. 

334
00:19:13,600 --> 00:19:17,760
The story is moving fast. 
Subscribe on Spotify, Apple 

335
00:19:17,760 --> 00:19:21,600
podcast or YouTube so every new 
episode lands directly with you.

336
00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,000
Share this with someone who 
needs to understand what is 

337
00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:28,160
happening and we will be back 
very soon.