Pratique du Shadowing: Trump Cancels Planned Attack on Iran | Will UAE Invade Iran's Lavan Island? | Vantage | Firstpost|4K - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec YouTube
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There's an old rule in geopolitics.
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There's an old rule in geopolitics.
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When superpowers cannot enter the battlefield directly,
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they look for someone else to wear the boots.
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We saw it during the Vietnam War.
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The United States poured troops and resources into defending South Vietnam,
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while the Soviet Union and China heavily funded and supplied North Vietnam.
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As a result, the brunt of the fighting fell squarely upon the Vietnamese people.
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And now, according to a report by The Telegraph,
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the Donald Trump administration may be doing exactly that This time with the UAE and Iran According to the report,
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the Trump administration is pushing the United Arab Emirates to become directly involved in the war against Iran Not just diplomatically,
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not just logistically, but militarily A former senior Trump security official reportedly said,
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and I'm quoting him Go take them.
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It would be UAE boots on the ground instead of the United States.
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The target is Lawan Island,
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an Iranian-controlled island sitting right next to the Strait of Hormuz,
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the world's most critical energy choke point,
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a place through which nearly a fifth of the global oil supply flows every single day.
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Now, this isn't the first time.
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Not the first time since Trump has looked at a piece of someone else's territory and said,
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mine
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He's talked about Greenland He's made some noise about Canada He's had his eye on Latin America And in this very conflict,
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he's already floated the idea of seizing Iran's Khark Island Which handles nearly 90% of Iran's oil exports Except this time,
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he wants another country to do the honours But why is the United States so interested in the island?
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Lawan Island was once known as the Hidden Pearl Island.
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Today it's a nerve center for Iran's oil economy.
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It hosts oil processing units,
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massive storage tanks, export jetties, maintenance facilities.
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It is the gateway for Iran's high quality Lawan Blend Crude.
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Pardon me, that's Lawan Blend Crude.
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a premium export that brings in serious revenue for Tehran.
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It is also directly connected to three major offshore oil fields,
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Salman, Resulat and Rishadar.
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The largest to wish, the Salman field,
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sits 144 km to the south and ranks among the biggest offshore complexes in the entire Persian Gulf.
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And on top of all that,
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Lawan also sits on a major gas field.
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Control this island and you don't just disrupt Iran's oil You disrupt its maritime logistics Its military positioning,
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its revenue stream You essentially hold a gun to the economy of the Islamic Republic That's the price Now,
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the player being asked to claim it
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Since the United States and Israel began striking Iran in late February The UAE has absorbed the consequences
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More than 2,800 missiles and drones allegedly fired by Iran have targeted the country Soon after the war broke out,
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the UAE reportedly asked Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join counter-attacks against Iran Both said no So according to reports,
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it has been drawing its alliances elsewhere,
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closer to Israel, closer to Washington
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Israeli iron dome batteries are now reportedly deployed on Emirati soil This was confirmed by the U.S.
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Ambassador to Israel himself.
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Say a word of appreciation,
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deep appreciation and admiration for the United Arab Emirates.
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I think that the UAE is an example.
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They were the first Abraham Accord member.
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But look at the benefits that they have had as a result.
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Israel just sent them iron dome batteries and personnel to help operate them.
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This was done to help defend the Gulf state against ballistic missile and drone attacks.
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And there's more.
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We told you last week about Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's secret visit to the UAE in March.
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This was at the very beginning of the war,
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a visit which Abu Dhabi officially denies.
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And while Iran has called the UAE an active partner in aggression against it,
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Tehran has deliberately dialed down that rhetoric.
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We have no hostility with any of the countries in the region.
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We are permanent neighbors and have always been and will remain so with all countries in the region,
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including the UAE.
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So Abu Dhabi's growing participation in the war is no longer a secret.
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The Trump administration wants to squeeze Iran economically, militarily, psychologically.
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But Washington does not want to send American soldiers to do it.
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So it is looking for a proxy,
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a partner, a willing actor with something to fight for.
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But will Abu Dhabi say yes?
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Is it willing to plant its flag on Iranian soil?
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To go from proxy target to active combatant?
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The answers to these questions could be delivered through a tiny island that once harvested pearls.
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Because now, it might be the fulcrum on which this war pivots.
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If you've been following the news today,
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you've probably seen the headlines a key UAE nuclear site was attacked by a drone on Sunday.
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I am talking about the Barakah nuclear power plant in Abu Dhabi's Al-Dhafra region.
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This is no ordinary drone attack.
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Barakah is the Arab world's only operational nuclear power station.
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And targeting a nuclear adjacent site changes things.
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This is no longer just about attacks on oil fields or military bases or shipping lanes.
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attacking a nuclear power plant risks endangering entire populations with atomic fallout.
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It widens the risk for the entire Gulf.
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So, is the current conflict pushing the nuclear red line?
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Let's take a look at what has happened.
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Authorities reported no injuries or impact on radiation levels,
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but the UAE's defence ministry said the drone
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that targeted the facility was one of three that entered the country from the western border direction.
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The projectile is said to have struck an electrical generator right outside the inner perimeter of the nuclear power plant
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The UAE authorities are investigating the source of the attacks
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But the country's presidential advisor Anwar Gargash appeared to refer to Iran
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and its regional proxy groups In his condemnation of the attack in a post on X,
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he called it a terrorist attack And one that represents dangerous escalation He also called the incident,
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and I'm quoting here, a dark scene that violates all international laws and norms.
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As for who really launched the drones, it's unclear.
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Iran-backed armed groups are equipped with drones and are based in Iraq.
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Tehran's allies in Yemen, the Houthis, also have combat drones.
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Let's now focus on the importance of the site here that was attacked.
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The Barakah nuclear power plant began operations in 2020.
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It is located 200 kilometers west of the UAE's capital Abu Dhabi.
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It sits near the border with Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
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It also provides up to a quarter of the oil-rich country's electricity needs.
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The UAE was the second country in the region to build a nuclear power station after Iran
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and the first in the Arab world.
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The Korea Electric Power Corporation,
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that is the KEPCO, which operates the plant says,
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there were no casualties and the plant has not been damaged.
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It also said that it does not appear that there was a direct attack on the nuclear plant.
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But Rafael Grossi, the head of the UN's nuclear agency,
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has condemned the attack.
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UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nayan held calls with his counterparts in Qatar,
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Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Morocco, Egypt and Bahrain.
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The Minister has condemned the attack and reaffirmed the Gulf nation's full and legitimate right to respond to it.
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Riyadh, which too reported drone intrusions from Iraqi airspace,
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called the attack on the UAE a threat to the security and stability of the region.
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India too has condemned the Barakah attack as dangerous escalation,
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urging a return to diplomacy.
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The Ministry of External Affairs released a statement saying,
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and I'm quoting here, India is deeply concerned at the attack targeting the Barakah nuclear facility in the UAE.
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Such actions are unacceptable and represent a dangerous escalation.
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We urgently call for restraint and a return to dialogue and diplomacy.
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You see, for India, with millions of citizens and major energy interests in the Gulf,
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this is not some distant story.
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This is a direct regional security concern.
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Needless to say, the Gulf is in a state of alarm.
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While hostilities in the U.S.-Iran war have largely been scaled down,
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thanks to a ceasefire that came into effect in April,
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sporadic drone attacks have kept the Gulf on edge.
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It seems Tehran's network has kept pressure on U.S allies.
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Across the region, and while a ceasefire may be in place,
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like I said, peace talks have stalled.
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Washington has called for Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program and lift its hold on the Hormuz Strait.
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Meanwhile, Iran has demanded compensation for war damages,
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an end to a US blockade of Iranian ports,
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and a halt to fighting on all fronts,
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that includes Lebanon, where Israel is battling Iran-backed Hezbollah.
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Trump, whose war rhetoric has failed to break the stalemate,
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said in a post on Truth Social that for Iran,
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the clock is ticking.
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He is warned of harder strikes.
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According to a report, Trump wants a deal to end the war.
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But Iran's rejection of many of his demands
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and refusal to make meaningful concessions on its nuclear program has put the military option back on the table.
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And now Trump is reportedly planning to meet top national security advisors on Tuesday to discuss options for military action against Iran.
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So, how is Iran reacting?
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A senior spokesperson for the Iranian Armed Forces said on Sunday that if Trump's threats were carried out,
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the US would, and I'm quoting again,
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face new, aggressive and surprise scenarios and sink into a self-made quagmire.
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If this weekend's attack on the UAE's nuclear power plant is any indication,
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things in West Asia could get a whole lot worse before they get any better.
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Will calmer minds prevail?
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As the cliche goes, we will have to wait and watch.
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West Asia's shadow war may have been hiding in plain sight.
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A new report by the New York Times claims Israel secretly
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built two secret military outposts inside Iraq's western desert ahead of its recent conflict with Iran.
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Satellite images, hidden runways, special forces,
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secret logistics hubs,
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the revelations are raising serious questions about how far this regional confrontation had already spread before the missiles started flying.
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So why is Iraq's remote desert suddenly becoming the center of a geopolitical storm?
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Here's our report.
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For months, the world watched missiles fly between Israel and Iran.
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But according to a new report by the New York Times,
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part of this war may have been prepared far away from the headlines.
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In the empty deserts of Iraq.
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The report claims Israel secretly built two covert military outposts inside Iraq's western desert ahead of its war with Iran.
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Why?
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Because western Iraq may have offered Israel something priceless.
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Proximity to Iran.
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Look at the geography here.
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Israel and Iran are separated by roughly 2,000 kilometers.
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That is a major operational challenge for fighter jets.
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So Israel found a workaround.
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Western Iraq sits close to Syria,
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Jordan, and Saudi Arabia, while Iran lies only a few hundred kilometers eastward.
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Iraq also shares a massive border with Iran.
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But more importantly, the Western Iraqi desert is vast,
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isolated, and sparsely populated, which makes it ideal for covert military activity.
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According to the New York Times,
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Israeli forces had reportedly been preparing one of these makeshift sites since late 2024.
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Iraqi officials allegedly identified two Israeli-operated bases hidden in the desert.
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During our search in these remote areas deep into the Najaf desert,
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No traces were found of terrorists or any lawless or foreign forces.
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This indicates the full control of the ground units presented in the sector of responsibility on these whole desert areas.
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These were not giant military compounds with watchtowers and giant flags.
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They were functional outposts.
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The reported purpose?
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Air support, refueling, medical services.
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One of the sites was earlier spotted in March.
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It was reportedly discovered by an Iraqi shepherd who encountered unusual military activity.
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Helicopters were flying low.
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Strange activity was stirring in a remote stretch of the western desert.
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So he informed the authorities.
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One of the installations reportedly housed Israeli special forces and functioned as a logistical center for Israeli air operations.
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Search and rescue teams were also stationed there,
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prepared to recover pilots if aircraft went down over hostile territory.
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Think about what that means strategically.
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A covert base inside Iraq dramatically reduces operational strain.
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Fighter jets can operate closer to Iranian territory.
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Missions become faster.
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Air operations become more sustainable.
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And then came the satellite imagery.
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Images captured by Airbus DS in March reportedly showed something unusual in a dried-out lake bed roughly 250 kilometers southwest of Baghdad.
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From above, the desert looked almost untouched,
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except for one striking detail.
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A long artificial track slicing across the empty terrain in a perfectly straight line from northwest to southeast.
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Length?
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Roughly one and a half kilometers.
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That is not a random path carved by vehicles.
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That is runway length.
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Long enough for military aircraft takeoffs and landings.
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Look at this image for a moment.
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An endless sea of pale desert.
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Dry earth cracked under the sun.
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And in the middle of that emptiness,
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a precise geometric scar cutting through the landscape like someone secretly drew a military blueprint onto the desert floor.
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The nearest town, Al-Nukhaib, sits just 45 kilometers away,
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near the border of Saudi Arabia,
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and at a distance of around 1,400 kilometers from Iran.
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Earlier reports suggested Iraqi troops were dispatched after unusual activity was detected in the area.
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Then came the political fallout.
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Iraq filed a complaint at the United Nations.
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Iraqi officials publicly denied authorizing any foreign military presence on their soil.
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And the United States denied involvement in specific strikes linked to the area.
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So Iraq is no longer just a neighbor caught between regional powers.
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It is increasingly becoming the battlefield beneath the battlefield.
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Iran-backed militias operate inside Iraq.
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American forces conduct strikes there.
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And now, according to these reports,
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Israeli covert operations may also have unfolded there,
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which means some of West Asia's most dangerous confrontations are no longer happening in public view.
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They are unfolding quietly in empty deserts,
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hidden behind satellite shadows and silence.
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Thank you.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, learners will practice listening to and shadowing content related to geopolitics, specifically focusing on the dynamics between the United States, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Iran. By engaging with this transcript, students will improve their listening comprehension and speaking skills through vocabulary related to international relations and military involvement. This practice will help learners articulate complex political topics in English while gaining insight into current global affairs.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Geopolitics - The study of the effects of geography on international politics and international relations.
- Boots on the ground - A phrase used to describe military personnel deployed to a site in a conflict zone.
- Choke point - A strategic narrow route, such as a strait, where significant traffic must pass through.
- Export jetties - Structures built to facilitate the loading of goods onto ships for export.
- Maritime logistics - The planning and management of the flow of goods over water, especially in a military context.
- Counter-attacks - Military operations intended to counter an enemy attack.
- Iron Dome - A mobile all-weather air defense system designed to intercept and destroy short-range threats.
- Hailing a country - To recognize or appreciate a country’s contributions or actions.
Practice Tips
To enhance your speaking skills, utilize a shadowing app during your practice with this video transcript. Start by listening to short segments and then attempt to repeat them right after the original speaker, a technique known as shadow speech. This will help you not only with pronunciation but also with understanding the rhythm and intonation of English speech. Given the serious tone and moderate speed of this geopolitical discussion, focus on mimicking the speaker's pace. If you find certain phrases challenging, pause the video and practice them multiple times using the shadowspeak method. This repetitive practice will build your confidence in discussing complex topics like international relations.
Lastly, consider using the term "shadowspeaks" when sharing your progress with fellow learners, as it emphasizes the effective practice method you are using to improve your language skills.
Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?
Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.
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