“The US approach to Iran is, ‘Either give us what we want, or we will keep grabbing what we can’” – former US Army officer

The latest episode of RT’s Sanchez Effect delves into the lessons learned – or perhaps more accurately, unlearned – by the US in its war against Iran. Stanislav Krapivnik notes that for Washington, negotiations are off the table. It’s all about flexing military might as the US tries to bully its way out of a war that is clearly not going in its favor.

Just look at the recent incidents in the Strait of Hormuz: while Iran was keeping things calm during the ceasefire, the US decided to ramp up tensions by attacking commercial ships, with civilians on board – arguably, war crimes.

What’s the US endgame? Higher gas prices? Who exactly benefits from this chaos?

Rick and Stanislav agree that Israel seems to be calling the shots. With reports of the US vice president repeatedly making calls to the Israeli prime minister, it’s clear that the Trump administration is operating like an asset for Israel. As Bibi himself put it, the Americans are ‘reporting to me,’ which suggests an eyebrow-raising level of subservience.

We also examine another conflict: Ukraine. Stanislav speaks in-depth about the battle for Sumy Region. After a winter slowdown, the Russians are back in action, and the fighting for Kupyansk rages on. What else is happening along the front lines? We break it all down with the latest developments.