The latest from the Persian Gulf

There are conflicting narratives, even non-narratives.

Here is one.

P.S. I consider it a real probability that the US neocons will decide to fight this war with Israel and their Sunni Arab allies despite the whole world saying NO!

https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-iran-bahrain-idUKKCN1SO0BJ?fbclid=IwAR1JvEhXu1PuqTsnuo3U88W6xenqDyHAWlCDPSD9hu_ZWZVl49jSZtMiFqo

https://apnews.com/dd56652fae6247c0944edd4d0c5516c3

Saudi-led Gulf states approve deployment of US troops in the Gulf region

Hal Turner,

18 May, 2019

Saudi-led Gulf states voted today to approve deployment of US troops in the Gulf region.  Reports coming in from Arab media in the last hour that Saudi Arabia and Gulf states have agreed to a US request to redeploy troops in Gulf waters and on land.

MORE 8:42 PM EDT -- The re-deployment request was similar in nature to the number of troops sent before Operation Desert Storm (Iraq) 1991.   At that time, the US sent 168,000 total US troops.

Today's action allegedly calls for 210,000 US troops and an undisclosed number of "allied" troops.

This is a massive move by the US and its Gulf partners.

I cannot help but notice that the leadership of Iran wear glasses.  I suggest they get a new eyeglass prescription immediately because they obviously cannot see the unimaginable military steam roller moving in their direction.

More to follow. Check back.  

Hal Turner is reporting that "there is VERY high military activity all over the Persian Gulf this morning. Elements from the US and other countries have numerous air assets active and Iran has numerous air assets active.  Iran also has intense ground activity around surface-to-air,  surface-to-ship, and surface-to-surface missile sites throughout their country. "

5:33 AM EDT -- Exxon Mobil staff are currently being evacuated from Qurna I field in Basra, Iraq.

5:52 AM EDT -- Civilian air traffic over the Persian Gulf has been warned by the US to be extremely cautious and be ready to make sudden evac.  MOST (but not all) civilian aircraft seem to be keeping a 50 mile distance from the coastline of Iran, favoring a more westerly route closer to Saudi Arabia as seen on the radar map below: 

8:05 AM EDT -- Exxon Mobil has evacuated all its foreign staff members out of Iraq's West Qurna 1 oilfield and is flying them out to Dubai

Sources in the Iraqi Ministry of Oil: Production of the West Qurna field in Basra was not affected by the departure of Exxon Mobil employees

US diplomats warned Saturday that commercial airliners flying over the wider Persian Gulf faced a risk of being "misidentified" amid heightened tensions between the US and Iran it also said aircraft could experience interference with its navigation instruments and communications jamming “with little to no warning."

9:06 AM EDT -- Bahraini Foreign Minister warns citizens not to travel to Iraq and Iran because of the unstable situation.

Bahrain asks its citizens in Iran and Iraq to leave immediately.

UPDATE: Sky News Arabia Correspondent quotes an Iraqi source familiar with the situation: Embassies of several foreign countries may follow the step of Washington and the evacuation of non-essential staff from Iraq.

***FLASH***

Threat DANGER is reported by US INTEL as quote "off the scale." 

*** BULLETIN ***

U.S. FAA ISSUES GLOBAL WARNING OF MILITARY ACTIVITY IN PERSIAN GULF AIRSPACE

The Federal Aviation Administration had issued a warning to US commercial airliners flying over the Persian Gulf & Gulf of Oman, warning "heightened military activities & increased political tensions in the region present an increasing inadvertent risk to US civil aviation...“

 9:15 AM EDT -- Reports of large numbers of Iranian republican guard casualties in last nights Israeli attack in Syria.

9:23 AM EDT -- BAHRAIN FOREIGN MINISTER WARNS OF "CRITICAL AND DANGEROUS DEVELOPMENTS UNFOLDING IN THE REGION"

11:35 AM EDT -- Dozens of Iranian families, some of them officials, entered Iraq during the past two days and settled in Kadhimiya and Karbala in anticipation of a possible US strike.

12:27 PM EDT -- U.S. BEGINS DEPLOYMENT OF ***GROUND TROOPS *** TO SAUDI ARABIA 

2:29 PM EDT -- BAHRAIN ISSUES ANOTHER STATEMENT TALKING OF VERY GRAVE DEVELOPMENTS TODAY IN THE REGION

2:30 PM EDT -- Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has called urgent meetings (rare on a Saturday) with key US politicians and officials. They are being referred to as crisis meetings. Further meetings hurriedly being coordinated with international allies for later today.

KUWAIT MOVING TO "FULL WAR FOOTING" AFTER BRIEFING BY US OFFICIALS

From yesterday - 

UPDATED 2:47 PM EDT   SEE BOTTOM -- This is BREAKING NEWS as of 9:03 AM eastern US time on Friday, 17 May 2019 -- The Kuwaiti national security council have just had an emergency meeting after briefing by US officials.

They are publicly saying "the hours and days ahead are perilous and that the risk of regional war is unacceptably high."

They are moving to a full war footing within Kuwait, to support the USA and allies against Iran.

The current situation in the region due to rising tensions between the US and Iran, is “perilous”, head of the Kuwaiti parliament Marzouq Al Ghanem said following a crisis meeting with government officials.

He added that the government confirmed readiness to handle emergencies “in case of the eruption of a war” in the region.

Ministers of foreign affairs, trade, electricity and information explained their contingency plans at the meeting held behind closed doors.

“According to the detailed explanation given by the ministers, it has become clear how delicate, sensitive and dangerous the stage ahead and the necessity of taking all measures for all possibilities,” Al Ghanem said.

“At the foreign front, the situation is not assuring,” he added.

In recent days, tensions have mounted in the Gulf after four vessels were sabotaged off the eastern cost of the United Arab Emirates and Iran-allied Houthi militants in Yemen claimed responsibility for a drone attack on vital oil installations in Saudi Arabia.

UPDATE 9:09 AM EDT --  

RISK OF REGIONAL WAR IS VERY HIGH AND VERY ALARMING - KUWAITI STATEMENT TO THE PRESS

UPDATE 9:17 AM EDT --

SITUATION IS ALARMING AND SPIRALLING OUT OF CONTROL - KUWAITI GOVERNMENT STATEMENT

UPDATE 9:22 AM EDT --

WE ARE EXPECTING WAR IN THE GULF - KUWAITI GOVERNMENT PRESS STATEMENT

UPDATE 2:47 PM EDT --

"War against Iran will lead to World War III. Any attack on Iran would mean the elimination of Israel within half an hour."  - Being broadcast on Iran media outlets now . . .

The war against Iran will pave the way for a third world war, and any attack on Iran would mean the destruction of Israel within half an hour," said Mujtaba al-Nur, head of Iran's nuclear committee.

He pointed out that the United States can start the war, but the end will not be in her hand, pointing out that the US military targets in the waters of the Gulf will remain only a "hill of ash," noting that "before the dust settles, any attack on Iran, Iranian missiles will "hit the heart of Tel Aviv."

US AIRLINERS TO FALL OVER IRAN!! DONALD TRUMP PREPARES CONGRESS FOR WAR!!