One new essay on rachelandthecity this Monday – plus an Iran War Day 17 roundup. Russia is helping Iran kill American soldiers, and the Trump administration’s response was to suspend sanctions on Russian oil. The receipts are worse than you think.
Iran War Day 17
• Dubai International Airport – the world’s busiest – temporarily shut down after an Iranian drone sparked a fire nearby. Emirates airline suspended then partially resumed flights, with several routes cancelled for the day.
• Oil exports from the Gulf have dropped 61% compared to February – from 25 million barrels a day down to under 10 million – the biggest supply disruption in history. Brent crude hit its highest price since 2022, now above $105 a barrel. U.S. gas hit $3.70 a gallon – up 24% since the war began.
• Trump called on China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz. So far: Australia and Japan said no, Germany said NATO has no role there, and no country has publicly committed. Trump said he’d “soon” announce who’s on board.
• Israel told CNN it has “thousands” of targets left and plans at least three more weeks of strikes. The IDF says it is “not working on a timetable” but on goals – specifically to “severely weaken the Iranian regime.”
• The U.S. death toll now stands at 13 service members killed and approximately 200 wounded across seven countries. More than 180 of the wounded have already returned to duty.
• The total regional death toll has crossed 2,200 – over 1,300 in Iran, at least 850 in Lebanon, and dozens more in neighboring countries.
• Trump admitted he doesn’t know if Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is even alive – saying “a lot of people are saying he lost a leg” and that “nobody’s saying he’s 100% healthy.” CNN separately confirmed Khamenei suffered a fractured foot on Day 1.
• Iran’s Foreign Minister called the entire operation “Operation Epic Mistake – a misadventure engineered by Israel and paid for by ordinary Americans.” Iran’s parliament speaker said flatly they are not seeking a ceasefire and plan to escalate.
• Israel launched what it described as “limited” ground operations in southern Lebanon, while leaders from Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK called for “immediate de-escalation” there.
• Iran arrested 18 people accused of working for Iran International, a satellite news channel Tehran claims has ties to Israel.
The Sanctions Boomerang
Russia is reportedly giving Iran the locations of American warships, aircraft, and military bases in the Middle East. The drones Iran is using to hit those bases? Russia taught them how to use those more effectively, sharing the specific attack strategies they perfected bombing Ukraine for four years. Six American soldiers died on March 1st when an Iranian drone hit a makeshift command center in Kuwait. The Trump administration’s response was to suspend sanctions on Russian oil. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called it “unfortunate” that Russia would benefit. Russia helps Iran target our troops. Our troops die. And within days, we cut Russia a check. Read the full story ->All of this and more at rachelandthecity.com. If you’re new here, start with The GriftMatrix or browse the suspects.
// Go Deeper on rachelandthecity
