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First Venezuela, Next Iran?

by | Jan 7, 2026 | 7 comments

Tyler Durden – Zero Hedge Jan 4, 2026

Top US officials have been eager to capitalize on the Trump-ordered military raid on Caracas, which saw the Venezuelan capital bombed and its longtime socialist leader Nicolás Maduro captured without major incident and transferred to US soil where’s facing federal drug charges related to narco-trafficking and gun-running.

Hawkish pundits are already clamoring for more muscular action targeting Tehran (and other supposed ‘rogue’ actors) at a moment of ongoing economic protests in Iran pressuring Islamic Republic leaders. Trump is issuing veiled threats to the governments of Cuba, Colombia, and Mexico – but many are asking: is Iran next? Various open source intelligence channels (OSINT) on Sunday have highlighted some unusual American military activity in the UK and Europe, for example…

 

It’s hard to know if this constitutes the usual Pentagon logistical operations in Europe, but it does indeed raise questions regarding Washington’s force posture vis-a-vis Iran.

One theme of the last several months of Trump’s military build-up in the southern Caribbean has been that in sending so many warships to Venezuelan waters, including at least one nuclear-powered submarine and the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier group, is that this level of military asset concentration in Latin America means less deadly or long-range assets in the Middle East (CENTCOM) area of operation.

But could we be witnessing a quick pivot, now with Maduro awaiting trial in New York?

There are various things to consider when it comes to potential White House discussions on the matter. First, it must be recalled that Trump wisely declared mission accomplished when US bombers ‘obliterated’ (in the US estimation) Iran’s three most important nuclear development sites at the tail-end of the June Israel-Iran war, which lasted just 12 days. There was no sustained American bombing campaign against Iran, also as Trump knows that “doing another Iraq” would be hugely unpopular at home.

There’s another difficult reality when it comes to US actions targeting Iran, which behind Venezuela also possesses among the world’s biggest proven reserves of crude oil. Iran is a country of over 90 million people, has a large military overseen by the elite IRGC, has long been ‘military tested’ (the 1980’s Iran-Iraq war comes to mind), and has one of the world’s premier arsenals of mid and long-range ballistic missiles. It even posses hypersonic capabilities (which the Israelis also learned). Because of this, last June Israeli warplanes were careful to operate largely outside Iranian airspace, and even though many anti-air missile sites were allegedly destroyed, this threat remains strong.

Reports of more IRGC missile tests over Iran Sunday night into Monday…

 

Trump will of course leave people guessing in his ‘shoot from the hip’ fashion. After all, the operation to topple Maduro was held as a tightly guarded secret even from many top Pentagon officials (in terms of the timing and “need to know” details just before it was launched). Here’s what one Conservative, anti-Iran pundit has to say:

First Venezuela, next Iran. These military flights signify a barrel of whoop-ass, not just a can. Likely, these show deployments of the 101st Airborne AND the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment.

The US Navy Fleet Tracker is oddly dark as well. We have 11 Aircraft Carriers, look at the 12/29/25 update compared to the 03/17/25 update. We are no longer posturing, we are in OPSEC mode. In Kuwait, the USA maintains roughly 13,500 troops at any given time. These troops serve as a Middle East response force (among other missions).

So why are the 1/75 Rangers and 101st Airborne deployments significant? The 75th Ranger Regiment’s primary mission is airfield seizures. The 101st is an Air Assault unit. The USA just moved a huge strategic asset designed to open the gates of hell into whatever country we choose.

And as for keeping people guessing, there was this remark from Trump just days ahead of the operation to kidnap Maduro. “If Iran shots [sic] and violently kills peaceful protesters, which is their custom, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded and ready to go,” Trump posted on Truth Social last Monday.

Would Russia comes to Iran’s defense if it is threatened with large-scale military action? Certainly the vehement condemnations would fly from Moscow, but Russia’s military is obviously busy doing other things…

 

Regardless of if the US deescalates ongoing tensions with Tehran, or if Trump chooses to soon escalate, the Ayatollah and Islamic Republic leaders just got a lot more nervous and uncomfortable as they helplessly watch their longtime ally Maduro being hauled before a US federal court on American soil.

For now the most likely scenario is that Trump will be content to see where the now weeklong protests inside Iran go, as they threaten societal stability, and as the US-led sanctions regimen continues to wreak devastation. It is also likely that he would unleash Israel first, and not send US troops for direct action – akin to what happened in the last June bombing raids.

* * *

“It’s time”… another Israeli direct threat aimed at Iran:

 

 

Source 

7 Comments

  1. MM on January 7, 2026 at 10:17 am

    I think Iran will be the focus for Russia and China’s support against the US-led west or to fail that they may go down alone. Make Iran the new fascists’ Stalingrad.

  3. TheyRLying on January 7, 2026 at 4:04 pm

    If there has not already been a US-induced regime change in Iran, as Simon Dixon says after following the money, then this alleged military buildup could be a prelude to another real war. However, the US cannot really afford one even with a good financing deal from the Zionist doners, and the baking of Daddy Warbucks-Rothschild. The US would likely fly apart at its seams in more ways than one, and especially in a real ground war with tens of thousands soldiers coming home in body bags. Apart from the views of the ruthless US establishment which does not really care about troop or civilian deaths, the result is bound to severely polarize both the people in the nation and the world at large.

    Alternatively, and following the logic of Simon Dixon, the alleged buildup also could mean that there already is a US “deal” with Iran, but part of that deal for control of Iranian resources and unfettered access for future Rothschild silk-road ventures with a Greater Israel calls for a staged “shock and awe” show against Iran, after which leaders of Iran are to more openly surrender on US terms. The motive of such a performance would be to try to restore global credibility in the US prowess and it its dollar and treasures – thus inducing and coercing other nations to return to the US Ponzi-dollar scheme of things.

    But what do you have with that kind of a plan? The US establishment in proclaiming its victory and prowess through such intimidation tactics, would likely only increase internal and external polarity against itself. To most sane and decent people in the world, it would be more reason to condemn the US and its owners for continuing to plunder the world through deception, fear and oppression.

  4. Anonymous on January 7, 2026 at 8:20 pm

    Once Venezuelan oil begins to flow, Iran will be attacked. The ‘protests’ are western organised and funded. They won’t be enough to ensure regime change however, so military action is highly likely. It remains to be seen if Russia and China step up – only their direct intervention can stop the entire Middle East going up in flames.

  5. Gabreal Jones on January 8, 2026 at 12:04 am

    5 January https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuaRxroqra0 Does This Look Like A Man Who Was Abducted In His Sleep? / Call for an Uprising

    comment/”I’m from Venezuela, I left Venezuela to NYC in 1994 a few years before the regime started, Maduro has been quoted saying the world needs a “new world order” they’re All in the club, don’t be deceived.”

    9.06 Did not know that Maduro was into Sathya Sai Baba btw https://www.firstpost.com/explainers/venezuela-nicolas-maduro-follower-india-godman-sathya-sai-baba-13965605.html that could explain his ‘ take it as it comes’ attitude?

    ” Sathya Sai Baba became even more prominent in Venezuela after his so-called miracle of saving a plane flying over South America. According to the story, in 1985, a passenger plane was flying over the coast of South America when the engine suddenly failed.

    The pilot knew that a Venezuelan stewardess on board was a devotee of Sai Baba & shouted, “Pray to your guru to save us from disaster!” No sooner had the stewardess shouted for Baba than he appeared in the sky outside the cockpit. Meanwhile, the engine began to function the plane was saved from crashing…

    This contributed to Sathya Sai Baba’s fame in Venezuela. And in following years….”

    https://religionnews.com/2026/01/06/sathya-sai-baba-maduros-indian-guru-is-a-household-name-in-venezuela/ ” In his first appearance in a New York courtroom on Monday (Jan. 5), ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro reportedly said “In the name of God, you will see that I will be free” (there are other stories about Sai Baba but )

    Anyway every body anywhere
    h.a.n.d. have a nice day

    CIA O

  6. bibble on January 8, 2026 at 4:37 am

    its the satanic kikes behind the scenes (as usual..) fomenting the “Big War” for The End Times Prophecy

    even Alastair Crooke says so in his latest with Glenn Diesen – from 43:00 minutes

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ltGrKLsZgo

  7. cornelius copeman kings lynn on January 8, 2026 at 7:03 am

    all iran has to do to stop the US attack is accept rothschild banking
    the USA goes in destroys the country who then have to go cap in hand to the jewbankers for money to rebuild
    then the jews have them
    Hitler had the right idea but we did not back him
    at the last minute we turned on him
    he would have given us our freedom from the jew