U.S. crude oil surges 5%! The U.S. and Israel may jointly strike Iran; the White House says progress has been made in negotiations, but key issues remain far apart.

U.S. crude oil surges 5%! The U.S. and Israel may jointly strike Iran; the White House says progress has been made in negotiations, but key issues remain far apart.

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On Wednesday, it was reported that the US and Israel may launch a joint strike against Iran. The White House stated that negotiations between the US and Iran have made progress, but the two sides remain far apart on key issues. WTI crude oil rose 5% intraday, quoted at $65.38 per barrel.

According to CCTV News, the US said on the 18th that there is currently no sign that diplomatic negotiations between the US and Iran will achieve a breakthrough. Meanwhile, there is increasing evidence that US military action against Iran is “imminent.”

Sources revealed that if the US launches military action against Iran, it is likely to be a massive operation lasting several weeks. The US and Israel would likely take joint action; the scale would be much bigger than the “12-Day War” last June, posing a greater “existential threat” to Iran and having a profound impact on the entire region.

Analysts say that on the 17th, the US and Iran held talks in Geneva, Switzerland. Although both sides said negotiations had "made progress," there remain significant differences. Currently, the chances of reaching an agreement seem slim. In addition, President Trump continues to step up both military and rhetorical pressure, making it difficult for him to back down before Iran makes major concessions. Trump’s advisers also believe that massive military deployments in the Middle East are not simply "saber-rattling."

At present, the US has deployed one aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East, and a second carrier strike group is also being deployed. Reportedly, the US military has also deployed more than a dozen other types of warships, hundreds of fighter jets, and multiple air defense systems in the region, and has used more than 150 sorties of military transport planes to deliver weapons and ammunition to the Middle East.

White House: US-Iran negotiations make progress but remain far apart on key issues

According to CCTV News, on February 18 local time, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said regarding Iran that US-Iran negotiations had “made some progress,” but the two sides remain “far apart” on key issues. Iran is expected to present more specific proposals in the coming weeks, and President Trump will continue to assess the progress of the negotiations.

The White House refused to comment explicitly on whether a final deadline would be set for talks or whether the military option was under consideration. Leavitt stated that President Trump always maintains close communication with the national security team and, in all decisions involving military action, prioritizes US national interests and the safety of military personnel.

Israeli Official: “Timeline for US Strike on Iran Is Shortening”

According to Israeli sources on the 17th, Israel believes the US-Iran negotiations have entered a "critical stage." Due to "obvious differences" between the US and Iran, Israel is preparing for a “breakdown of US-Iran negotiations.”

According to CCTV News, on the 18th, senior Israeli officials said the “timeline for a US military strike on Iran is shortening.” Due to the lack of substantive progress in the latest US-Iran talks, Israeli assessment is that President Trump is highly likely to “approve” an attack plan soon.

Senior Israeli officials confirmed that if the US launches an attack, Israel will join military action against Iran. Although operations may not be fully synchronized, military cooperation between the two countries is currently at a very high level.

Currently, the Israel Defense Forces and security agencies have raised their alert level across the board. The Israeli Home Front Command and other emergency agencies have explicitly received orders to “prepare for war.” The Israeli assessment is that if the US and Israel launch a large-scale attack, Iran is very likely to retaliate against Israeli territory with long-range missiles.

It is reported that intense consultations are underway at all levels in Israel. The Israeli Security Cabinet meeting originally scheduled for the 19th has been urgently postponed to Sunday (the 22nd), a move seen as a tactical adjustment to respond to unexpected developments.

 

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