Iran

If the US attacks Iran with drones, it will be in for a surprise. Russia shielded its sky with an explosive weapon: Verba

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It we count last week. In the Middle East, crises rarely erupt overnight. First pieces move away from the spotlight, discreet commitments are signed and deployments multiply that seem routine. Only later, when everything falls into place, do you understand that the board had been preparing for something bigger for weeks. Now we know that Washington has not been the only one that has prepared. Agreement sealed in the shadows. counted this morning in an exclusive the financial times that Iran and Russia signed a secret contract of almost 500 million euros for delivery of 500 lVerba portable spears and 2,500 9M336 missiles. It would be Tehran’s most significant move to rebuild air defenses devastated after the 12 day war against Israel. The Iranian request came just days after its integrated network was seriously degraded by Israeli and American attacks, which allowed enemy aircraft to operate with superiority over large areas of the country. The agreement provides deliveries until 2029although the media explained that there are indications of early shipments, and it is complemented with night vision devices and other equipment that points to a phased but urgent reconstruction. What are Verba and why do they matter. The Verba system is a portable guided missile infrared designed to shoot down drones, cruise missiles and low-level aircraft such as helicopters, operated by small mobile teams that can deploy dispersed defenses without depending on fixed radars vulnerable to bombing. These are not heavy strategic systems like lthe S-300 or S-400but rather a flexible tactical layer that complicates helicopter operations and low-level flights. Its adoption is rapid, requires less integration and allows Iran to reinforce critical points at a relatively acceptable cost for Moscow, which can supply them without weakening substantially its own defense against Ukraine. Verba missile carrier A military alliance despite sanctions. Apparently the contract was negotiated between Rosoboronexport and the Iranian Ministry of Defense, with intermediaries already sanctioned by Washington, in a context of growing cooperation that includes Iranian drones employed by Russia in Ukraine and a bilateral treaty signed in 2025. Moscow thus demonstrates that it has no intention of abiding by Western sanctions or the arms embargo reactivated by European powers, while Tehran tries rebuild the relationship following the perception that Russia did not come to their aid during the latest conflict with Israel. The flow of cargo flights and the reception of attack helicopters Mi-28 reinforce the image of a active and sustained military association. The largest deployment since 2003. It we count last week. The agreement emerges in parallel to a massive accumulation of American air and naval power in the Middle East, with dozens of F-35, F-15 and A-10 fighters deployed at bases such as Muwaffaq Salti in Jordan and Prince Sultan in Saudi Arabia, in addition to two aircraft carrier groups led by the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford. In total, about 40,000 troops and a fleet comparable to the one before the 2003 invasion of Iraq support Donald Trump’s threats to impose a nuclear ultimatum on Tehran. Iran, for its part, warns that it would respond by attacking US bases in the region if hit. A reinforcement that changes the risk calculation. The new systems They will not turn Iran into a conventional rival comparable to the United States or Israel, of course, nor will they prevent sustained air campaigns if these are executed with technological superiority. However, they can raise cost and risk of specific operations, especially helicopter raids or low-altitude attacks, and prolong a possible conflict by making initial phases of aerial suppression difficult. In an environment where each shootdown would have a disproportionate political and strategic impact, the mere presence of hundreds of mobile launchers introduces a tactical deterrence variable. A preparation race. What does seem quite clear is that the combination Iranian rearmament and American deployment draws a scenario of maximum tension in which diplomacy and force advance in parallel. Tehran seeks to buy time, rebuild defensive layers and negotiate from a less vulnerable position. Washington tries to pressure with a demonstration of power without recent precedents in the region. What happens in the coming weeks will not only determine whether there is an attack or an agreement, but also whether the Russian-Iranian alliance is consolidated as a military axis capable of openly challenging the sanctions regime and reconfiguring the strategic balance of the Middle East. Image | ТАСС In Xataka | It is so small that it can barely be seen from space, but this secret island is the main problem for the US to attack Iran In Xataka | If the most advanced US nuclear aircraft carrier maintains its speed it will reach its destination on Sunday: a bad omen for Iran

The US has had a grain for “Iran”. The United Kingdom does not allow its bombers to enter a secret island that is key to the attack

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Since the Cold War, many of the great powers have understood that modern wars do not begin when the first plane takes off, but when secures access to the bases from which it will take off. Sometimes the deciding factor is not so much firepower, but the key that opens or closes a key clue at the exact location on the map. That is happening right now on a lost atoll. A problem with name and surname. The United States has had a major problem for “the Iran thing” and it is not in Tehran, but in the Indian Ocean. United Kingdom refuses to authorize the use of Diego García Island and the RAF Fairford base for a possible air campaign against the Islamic Republic, alleging that it could violate international law if it is a preventive attack. Without that permission, Washington loses two key platforms to project its long-range air power, just when the president has given an ultimatum to Iran and has hinted that in a matter of days he could decide between an agreement or a military operation. The secret island that sustains long wars. It we count some time ago. Located halfway between the east coast of Africa and the west coast of Indonesia, The island was part of the Chagos Archipelago. During the 18th century, it was colonized by the French as an agricultural settlement. So they took the Chagossians, descendants of slaves from Africa and India, to the islands to work on growing coconut trees for the production of copra (dried coconut meat). Over time, the locals developed their own culture and dialect, known as Chagossian Creole. By 1814, after Napoleon’s defeat, The island came under British control as part of the Treaty of Parisintegrating into the colony of Mauritius. Throughout the 19th century, life on the island continued with a small population dedicated to agriculture and fishing, but things were about to change with the beginning of the new century. The agreement. During the Cold War, The United States and the United Kingdom sealed an agreement. Both nations saw the island as a strategic location for a secret military base in the Indian Ocean. In 1965, the British separated the Chagos Islands from Mauritius, thus forming the British Indian Ocean Territory (BIOT), which also includes the other 57 islands of the Chagos Archipelago. By 1966, he signed a secret agreement with the United States, allowing the construction of the “secret” military base. Key node. Since then, Diego García is anything but any base, because he is one of the more strategic enclaves of the Pentagon in the Indian Ocean. Its central runway, its port capable of hosting nuclear submarines and its logistics infrastructure allow strategic bombers to be deployed, maintained and rearmed in sustained cycles. Without going too far, last year it already served as a pressure platform when several B-2s arrived in a clear message to Iran, and precisely that type of deployment is what is now conspicuous by its absence. That there are no visible bomber movements towards the island reinforces the idea that the british veto is conditioning military planning. Without bases there are no prolonged campaigns. The geographical difference is abysmal and explains the tension. From Diego García to Iran there are around 2,300 kilometers, from the United States more than 6,000. That distance sets the pace of departuresthe wear and tear of the crews and the intensity of the offensive. For a one-night operation you can fly round trip from Missouri, as was the case in previous attacks, but for a campaign a week or more against nuclear installations, military commands and missile launchers, advanced bases are needed that allow constant sorties to be generated. In other words, without access to the island and Fairford, the role of the B-2, B-1 or B-52 is greatly reduced and the plan loses volume. A clash between allies. The disagreement is not only technical, it is deeply political. London maintains that supporting an attack could implicate it legally if it knows the circumstances of an action considered unlawful, and the prime minister has marked distances with the White House. Washington, for its part, has responded hardening the tone and linking the refusal to the dispute over the future of Diego García within the Chagos Archipelago, whose status and possible transfer to Mauritius have opened a diplomatic rift. Thus, what began as a legal debate has led to a strategic struggle between historical allies. The war that is amplified without the key piece. Meanwhile, the United States continues to accumulate fighters, electronic warfare aircraft and resuppliers in the region, preparing the board as if the military option was still alive and imminent. It turns out that the heart of a prolonged air campaign is not the F-22s in transit, but those strategic bombers operating from a secure and nearby base. Yes UK maintains the vetoWashington will have more distant and less efficient alternatives, which would force the scope and intensity of the blow to be redesigned. In short, in full escalation with Iranthe piece that could do it all more simple For Washington it is precisely the one that blocks the movement today. Image | Department of DefenseRoyal Air Force, US Air Force In Xataka | One of the most remote islands was taken 60 years ago by the United Kingdom and the United States. Since then, what happens there has been a secret. In Xataka | If the most advanced US nuclear aircraft carrier maintains its speed, it will reach its destination on Sunday. Not good news for a nation

We don’t know if the US is going to attack Iran. We do know that it is carrying out the largest military deployment in the Middle East since Iraq

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In major international crises there is a almost imperceptible moment in which the tension stops being rhetorical and begins to be measured in real movements. History shows that when the pieces begin to be placed with that precision, the outcome It rarely depends on words alone. Therefore, when they pass 20 tanker aircraft across Europe in a single day and the maps tell us that the largest aircraft carrier in the United States is four days to reach its destination, the outcome can only be an ockham razor. A display that is already historic. Of course, we don’t know for sure whether the United States is going to attack Iran. What we do know is that it is running the largest air deployment in the Middle East since the invasion of Iraq in 2003, a concentration of power which cannot be explained as simple diplomatic pressure. There are currently dozens of stealth fighters, command and control aircraft, anti-missile systems and two aircraft carrier groups taking up positions while the White House insists that diplomacy still on the table. The question is not whether Washington has the capacity to strike, but when and to what extent it would decide to do so. And if the satellite maps they don’t lieon Sunday morning everything would be ready. Stealth fighters in motion. The radars have indicated For several days now, the F-22, F-35 and F-16 have been crossing the Atlantic in waves, reinforcing bases in Jordan and Saudi Arabia that are becoming launching pads for a sustained campaign. Them F-15E are addedelectronic warfare aircraft and air communications nodes that allow complex operations to be coordinated. It is not the pattern a specific attack like the one perpetrated in Iran with the Operation Midnight Hammerbut rather the architecture of a “heavy” and prolonged air war, one capable to last weeksbut more, with targets ranging from nuclear facilities to missile depots and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps centers. AWACS to the limit. There are six Boeing E-3 Sentry, That is, almost 40% of an aging fleet with low availability, warning and control systems that have been sent to Europe and the Middle East. We talk about the floating brain that manage air combatcoordinates interceptions and detects drones and cruise missiles at low altitude. Its massive deployment indicates that planners are setting up an environment “high intensity battle”but at the same time it reveals a structural vulnerability of Washington: the United States depends on a small and old fleet to direct one of the most complex campaigns on the planet. U.S. Ford Patriots, THAAD and defending against retaliation. There is no doubt, in such a movementreinforcement is not just offensive. Patriot Systems and THAAD They have come forward to protect the surrounding 30,000-40,000 soldiers Americans scattered in the region and allies like Israel. This gives us an idea of ​​what to expect. Washington assumes that any attack would trigger a response with ballistic missiles, kamikaze drones and possibly attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz. The deployment seeks to ensure that, if retaliation comes, it can absorb the blow without paralyzing the operation. Two aircraft carriers and a “navy” visible in space. He USS Abraham Lincoln already operates in the area with Aegis destroyers and nuclear submarines, while the USS Gerald R. Ford keep it up from the Atlantic after crossing near Gibraltar. As we said, if it maintains its current speed, it will be off the coast of Israel on sunday morning and will be able to reinforce air defense in the event of an immediate Iranian retaliation. Two combat groups with F/A-18, F-35C and electronic warfare aircraft provide mobile power, missile defense and sustained strike capability. That is to say, it is not a symbolic presence, it is an unequivocal sign of preparation for real combat. Trajectory of the American aircraft carrier US Ford Tehran, Moscow and Beijing for internships. While Washington concentrates forces, Iran is currently carrying out naval exercises with Russia and China in the Strait of Hormuz. The presence of Russian and Chinese ships does not alter the military balance against the United States Navy, but it adds a layer if you want. politics and risk which requires planning with greater caution. In this regard, Iran has also closed parts of the strait for maneuvers with anti-ship missiles and drones, stressing that any war would not be a limited exchange, but an escalation with global impact on the oil and sea routes. An outrage for ambiguous objectives. The accumulation of forces It allows, a priori, multiple scenarios: from a limited attack against nuclear facilities to a campaign aimed at degrading missile capacity or even weakening the regime. Be that as it may, technological and aerial superiority does not resolve the political mystery of what would happen next. Without ground forces or a broad coalition, a protracted war would depend almost exclusively on air and naval power. In that regard, The New York Times said that the White House has received plans designed to maximize the damage, but has not yet made a final decision. Pressure as a strategic weapon. With such a scenario there are not many options. Either the deployment is a prelude to an attack, or we are dealing with a tool unprecedented pressure aimed at forcing concessions at the negotiating table. Some analysts believe that the show of force they have in front of them right now could convince to Tehran that Washington is going all out. Others warn that the same preparation that increases military credibility also reduce the margin to retreat without any political cost. One thing is clear: at this point, the movement of parts It is already historical and hyperbolic, and the only thing left is to know if it will remain a threat or will become an open war of unpredictable dimensions. Image | TREVOR MCBRIDE, US Army Aerial, RawPixel, BORN In Xataka | Tension in Iran is so high that the Strait of Hormuz is closed. And that will have consequences when … Read more

Tension in Iran is so high that the Strait of Hormuz is closed. And that will have consequences when you go to refuel.

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The world woke up today with a dangerous contradiction: while in the aseptic halls of Geneva the diplomats of the United States and Iran they shake hands cautiouslyin the waters of the Persian Gulf, the speedboats of the Revolutionary Guard block the passage of oil tankers. It doesn’t take a missile to fall for the global economy to feel the impact; Fear is trading higher and traveling faster than any ship. The Strait of Hormuz, the planet’s energy jugular, has undergone closure “partial and temporary” for the first time since tensions escalated in January. For the consumer, this is not a distant headline: the price of Brent oil has already increased by 13% so far this year. An increase in prices that does not respond to a real lack of supply, but rather to the geopolitical risk premium. We are paying for what could happen, not for what has happened. As confirmed by Iranian state media cited by EuronewsTehran ordered the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz under the justification of “security precautions.” The Iranian Fars news agency, referenced by Deutsche Welleexplained that this maneuver responds to the military exercises called “Intelligent Control of the Strait of Hormuz.” It is an unprecedented move in this crisis: it is the first time that Iran has physically closed sectors of the waterway since the US administration threatened military action last January. However, it is important to clarify the operational scope so as not to fall into unjustified alarmism. Jakob Larsen, safety director at Bimco (the association representing global shipowners), explained to the CNBC that it is not an indefinite total block. The closure affects the incoming “traffic separation scheme” area and lasts “several hours.” Iranian authorities have asked commercial ships to stay away from the exercise zone, which is causing delays and “minor inconveniences,” but the flow has not stopped completely. A 33 kilometer funnel for 20% of the world’s oil To understand why the market is holding its breath, you have to look at the map. The United States Energy Information Administration (EIA) rate this step as the “choke point” (chokepoint) most important in the world for oil transit. The figures are overwhelming: Volume: About 20 million barrels of crude oil, condensates and refined products flow through this artery daily. Global Impact: According to data from consulting firms Vortexa and Kplerthis represents approximately 20% of global consumption of petroleum liquids and nearly 30% of maritime crude oil trade. The problem is geographical. As explained D.W.At its narrowest point, the road is just 33 kilometers wide. But crucially, the safe navigable route for large supertankers is only two miles wide in each direction. It’s a perfect funnel where any interruption, no matter how small, creates an immediate domino effect. He timing of this military operation is not a coincidence; It’s a message. As analyzed Euronewsthe partial closure occurred exactly while the second round of nuclear talks between Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Foreign Minister, and Steve Witkoff, US special envoy, was being held in Geneva. For this reason, Tehran is using the strait as a negotiating lever. The United States has increased its military pressure with the deployment of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford in the region, in response to both Iran’s nuclear ambitions and the bloody repression of internal protests shaking the Persian country. Paradoxically, diplomacy seems to advance while the guns are aimed. According to ReutersAraghchi confirmed after the meeting that a “principle of agreement” has been reached on the bases of a future relationship, although he warned that closing the final pact will be a slow process. Iran shows its fist in the sea while offering its hand in Switzerland. The price mirage: why do we pay the “fear premium”? The market reaction has been an emotional rollercoaster in the last 24 hours: Tuesday’s mirage: Initially, when the progress in Geneva became known, the price of oil fell. The barrel of Brent fell 1.8% (to $67.36) and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) lost 1%. The markets “bought” the hope of peace. Today’s reality, Wednesday: The trend has reversed. Prices are recovering and rising again. As explained in OilPricethe traders have reevaluated the situation: the final agreement seems distant and the physical closure of the strait, although partial, is a tangible reality today. As Sugandha Sachdeva points out, analyst cited by Reutersthe market is experiencing a “technical rally” because doubt dominates the scene. Although 82% of the crude oil that passes through Hormuz goes to Asia (China, India, Japan), oil is a global market. If there is a lack of supply in Asia, those countries will bid for the crude oil available in other regions, making the barrel more expensive for everyone. This has an immediate effect on Europe due to the “financialization” of energy. Gas and oil they have stopped being simple commodities to become financial assets that operate with high-speed algorithms. The volatility is such that “an early morning headline about Iran can alter the price of heating in Berlin before dawn.” The European Achilles heel The situation is especially delicate for the Old Continent. Europe is experiencing a “painful déjà vu“: fleeing from Russian dependence, has fallen into dependence on gas that arrives by ship (LNG). European gas reserves are at worrying lows (44% at the end of January) and vulnerability is maximum. This is where Hormuz plays a critical role beyond oil. As we have detailed in Xatakathe European Union looks to Qatar as a vital alternative for its gas supply, but “military tensions between the US and Iran in the Strait of Hormuz put that route at risk.” If the strait is closed, not only oil to Asia is blocked, but also the Qatari liquefied natural gas that Europe desperately needs to refill its warehouses for next winter. The short-term horizon is bleak. According to an estimate by Eurasia Group collected by OilPricethere is a 65% chance that the United States will launch a military strike against Iran in April if the current talks … Read more

China has been launching the same message to the world about Taiwan. The date was 2027 … until the US bombarded Iran

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Now that there is a certain tense calm in the Middle East, there are many analysts who have turned the magnopolitical framework. In June we already commented that, in a turn of the most perverse events, the United States attack Iran intended to contain a nuclear proliferation could be the catalyst of another even more dangerous: North Korea. There was a second stage to draw: that of China and Taiwan. Start over. The analysts told of the New York Times That the American attack against Iranian nuclear facilities has added a new layer of complexity to the already tense geopolitical equation between the United States, China and Taiwan. What began as a diplomatic strategy became a sudden offensive that now serves as Element of study For Chinese leaders, who seek to anticipate how Trump would respond to an eventual crisis in the Taiwan Strait. His Erratic behavior And his willingness to resort to the use of force, even having previously rejected it, generate confusion in Beijing. China, they agree, observe this turn as a sign that Trump, far from representing a predictable position, could apply a logic of force equally in Asia if it perceives that their interests are at stake. Iran’s mirror. In the same way What North Koreahe Attack on Iran has been able to force Chinese strategists to Check your models of contingency with respect to Taiwan. Despite the obvious differences between the two scenarios, the essential lesson It is shared: Trump is willing to unleash military operations if he considers it appropriate, even against adversaries with limited response capacity such as Iran. Beijing, on the other hand, has a considerably superior military power and is known closer to the theater of operations than any American force. Even so, the possibility of a sudden escalation forces the Chinese to prepare For a Scenario fanfrom a diplomatic crisis to a direct confrontation that escapes their hands. Uncertainty about Trump’s red line is precisely what worries them. Taiwan and ambiguity. A constant in American politics towards Taiwan has been the calculated ambiguity: dissuad China from that invasion that sounds by 2027 (coinciding with The EPL centenary), without explicitly guaranteeing a military intervention. Trump has brought that ambiguity to an extreme level. At times ha praised Xi Jinping And he has given relaxes of distensionwhile in others he has hardened his rhetoric and has intensified The supply of weapons to Taipéi. For Beijing, this duality is disconcerting but also dangerous, because it cannot be certain to its behavior. In this context, Chinese analysts They have intensified His scrutiny, maintaining discrete meetings with American interlocutors in search of clues about the true limits of the former president. The impression they transmit is of nervous caution: they fear that the Trump’s unpredictability can trigger an unwanted crisis. Cross pressures. The tension not only emanates from Beijing. Remembered in another report the Time Magazine that within the United States and Taiwan there is fear that Trump himself, in his eagerness, ends giving something to China In a future summit with XI, perhaps in the form of an ambiguous statement or a significant omission about the defense of the island. Washington, as we said, maintains armament supply (And more) and exhortes Taipéi to increase his military spending, but it is the president who finally decides. That centralization of power and its erratic character They worry both in the Pentagon and in the Taiwanese presidential palace. We have Cash: The recent ones Chinese maneuversincluding deployment of aircraft carriers Beyond the first island chain, they are seen as stress tests: Silent drills to measure the allied reaction capacity and the degree of real commitment of Washington. Taiwan between lines and symbols. While Beijin accuses President Taiwanesa Lai Ching-Te de Separatismo, the island administration insists that it is the maneuvers and Chinese threats that They tension the rope. In turn, within Taiwan, there are those who interpret Trump’s attack to Iran as An indirect warning To the great powers, a coded message towards Moscow and Beijing: if a line is crossed, the answer could be immediate. But the comparison between Iran and China is dangerous. He Missile Arsenal from Beijing (which includes about 3,500 missiles Conventional, nuclear ballistic submarines and a rapid assembly) would make a lightning offensive like the one launched in the Middle East. China knows it, and that is why Multiply your deploymentsair incursions and Naval exercisesconsolidating a constant pressure on the island, designed to wear it psychologically and strategically. China between two fronts. Plus: while facing these uncertainties in the east, Beijing must deal with a growing perception of threat in the West. The Recent statements From the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, alerting about Chinese military expansion and his possible coordination with Russia in case of crisis in Taiwan, reinforce the western narrative of China As a systemic challenge. Beijing, meanwhile, denounces that NATO seeks to justify its expansion to Asia using China As a pretext. A theater of shadows. In summary, Trump has shown that he can change course Without prior noticeand that feature, far from reassuring, introduces a dangerous volatility element. Meanwhile, China explores if you can find a loop to weaken American support to Taipéi, even Without resorting to force. And in parallel, the military apparatus of the United States and its allies fears that any calculation error, any word out of place at a summit, can trigger a chain reaction. The military action In Iran it is not just a specific act: it is a declaration of ambiguous intentions, one that has put all the actors of the Indo-Pacific board alert. Image | Chairman, Garystock In Xataka | That China performs 3,000 military air maneuvers over a year is not striking. To do it about Taiwan, yes In Xataka | It is the third time in a few months that China presents itself against Taiwan with an army. The island has decided to move on to attack

We have tried to use AI to verify if the images of the war between Iran and Israel were made with AI. It has been a disaster

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False images circulate on social networks is no novelty, but in the era of AI It is increasingly difficult to detect them And they have even made Let’s distrust real photos. That photos taken with AI are viral when an important event is the new normality is; We saw it After the blackout And also with him Conflict between Israel and Iran. It is clear to us that AI is very good to generate false images, but what if we use it precisely for the contrary? Not so much. The photos in question. At the same time as a Half Iranian published The news that Iran had demolished an Israeli F-35, two images began to run like gunpowder on social networks, although We soon knew they were false. One of them, that of the star and surrounded by curious F35, is especially striking. To begin with, the proportions make no sense: the plane seems giant when actually measures 16 meters and people are larger than buildings. And that not to mention that the damage of the plane is minimal to have been shot down. These images were not the only ones generated by AI that circulated in the first days of the conflict. Several videos such as this one of a huge Iranian missile that it seems quite real until we see that the water brand has been left to see that it is made with the, or East of a tel aviv shattered. AI is terrible doing FACT-CHECK. Means dedicated to FACT-CHECKING as Damn already denied These and other images created with AI in the context of the conflict between Iran and Israel. However, there were users who tried to resort to AI tools to check the authenticity of the images and obtained quite confusing answers. Is What happened in X with Grok. An analysis of more than 130,000 posts revealed that Musk’s AI was not able to detect some false images or identify the sources from which they came. The community notes written by the users themselves were much more reliable. We have tried it. To check the AI ​​capacities, we have used the image of the disproportionate F-35 and have asked several AI tools. This is what they have answered: Chatgpt: The Openai tool begins “This image does not seem real” and then proceeds to make an analysis of the proportion of the plane, which correctly identifies as a F35, and states that the damage does not seem coherent. Perplexity: Like Chatgpt, he tells us that proportions, perspective, and airplane damage and other details suggest that the photo has been digitally manipulated. Gemini: It tells us that the image is real, but that it is not an attack in combat, but of a clash with birds that happened in Israel in 2017. When we answer that the sources show us, it happens several links to the news, but in none of them the image appears. After a while sending us confusing information, he ends up recognizing that he was wrong and apologizes for “the serious mistake.” Claude: It is the only one that states with forcefulness that the image is not real and gives us the exact context of what has happened “this is one of the many false images that have circulated as part of misinformation campaigns during the conflict between Israel and Iran.” The reliability, pending subject. In our test, Gemini has completely invented the answer, while Chatgpt and Perplexity succeed, although they do not get wet. Claude is the only one that gives us all the information and hits fully. Although language models have improved a lot in a short time, Many answers continue to be invented Despite having access to the Internet and searches. Undoubtedly, reliability is the pending subject of generative AI and where more improvement margin has. Images | 404 average In Xataka | Chatgpt guide: 22 functions and things you can do to squeeze this artificial intelligence to the maximum

Uranium centrifuges have triggered war between Israel and Iran. Without them it is impossible to have the atomic bomb

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Uranium centrifugers monopolize a good part of global attention since it began The last episode of the conflict between Israel and Iran on June 13. The government led by Benjamín Netanyahu has set as a fundamental objective dismantle the Iranian nuclear program that presumably seeks to develop the necessary technology to Manufacture atomic bombs. And to achieve it Israel and the US have bombarded The facilities in which Iran was carrying out the enrichment of uranium, such as the plants of Fordo, Isfahán and Natanz. According to Israel and the US, these Iranian nuclear facilities housed several hundred uranium centrifugers. It can even that several thousand of these machines. Its role in the nuclear program not only of Iran, but in that of any country with the ability to manufacture nuclear weapons, is to enrich 90%uranium. Otherwise it is not possible to use it to produce atomic fission pumps o Thermonuclear devices that combine fission and nuclear fusion. However, in these last pumps uranium is only used in the fission stage, which acts as a detonator of the nuclear fusion. In this last reaction two isotopes of hydrogen intervene: the deuterium and the tritium. Uranium-235 is the true protagonist of this story To precisely understand what is the purpose of uranium centrifuges it is necessary that we previously investigate in two isotopes of this chemical element Metallic, heavy and radioactive. Uranium is present in nature in very low concentrations, normally in rocks, land and water. Hence, its obtaining is expensive and its complex treatment, since it requires chemical processes capable of separating it from the other elements and impurities with which it usually lives. It has 92 protons and many other electrons orbiting around the nucleus, and the latter incorporates, in addition to the protons, between 142 and 146 neutrons. It is important that we remember that the nucleus of an atom is usually constituted by a certain number of protons and neutrons (although not always: the protio, the isotope of the most abundant hydrogen, has a single proton and no neutron in its nucleus), as well as by some electrons that orbit around it. The fact that the number of neutrons of the uranium nucleus may varyas we have just seen, it indicates that there are several isotopes of this chemical element, which are nothing other than atoms with the same number of protons and electrons, but different number of neutrons. In fission reactors and nuclear weapons it is used as uranium-235 fuel The reason why in the fission reactors and nuclear weapons is used as an uranium-235 fuel, and not another isotope of this element or any other chemical element, it consists that by bombarding its nucleus with a neutron (a process that is known as induced fission) the uranium-235 is transformed into uranium-236, which is a more unstable element. This simply means that Uranium-236 cannot remain long in its current state, so it is divided into two nuclei, one from Bario-144 and another of Crypton-89, and also emits two or three neutrons. And here comes the really interesting: the sum of the masses of the Bario-144 and Crypton-89 nuclei is slightly lower than the Uranium-236 nucleus from which they come (“disappears” around 0.1% of the original mass). Where has the mass we lack? Only one can be left: has been transformed into energy. Formula e = m c²probably the most popular in the history of physics, relates mass and energy, and what it says is simply that a certain amount of mass equals a specific amount of energy, even if the dough is at rest. In fact, the equivalence between mass and energy, proposed by Albert Einstein In 1905, he tells us something more important. The C of the formula represents the speed of light in a vacuum, which, as we all intuit, is a very large number (299,792,458 m/s). In addition, it is squared, which means that even a very, very small mass, such as the portion of the nucleus of an atom, although it is at rest contains a large amount of energy. This is what we know as resting energy. If the mass is in motion its total energy is greater than its resting energy. And, if we observe the equivalence between mass and energy, it is easy to realize that the mass of a body in motion too is greater than its resting massa phenomenon that It introduces us fully into relativistic physics. In any case, the energy we obtain by merging or fissting atomic nuclei comes from the force that keeps them together: Strong nuclear interaction. Understanding with some precision the relationship between mass and energy is important because it helps us understand how it is possible that a mass as small as that of an atom allows us to obtain such a large amount of energy. In any case, the nuclear fission process does not end here. And it is that each of the neutrons that we have obtained as a result of the disintegration of the Uranium-236 nucleus in the Bario-144 and Crypton-89 nuclei can interact with other physically nuclei, causing a chain reaction. However, not all neutrons emitted during the disintegration of the Uranium-236 nucleus will interact with a physirable nucleus. But they don’t need to do it all. It is enough that only one of those neutrons achieves it to obtain a stable number of fissures, and, therefore, a controlled reaction, which is the objective of the reactors of the nuclear power plants. Centrifugators serve to increase uranium-235 concentration The most abundant uranium isotope in nature is uranium-238. In fact, it represents approximately 99.3% of the total uranium. The problem is that this isotope is not physically. The uranium enrichment process seeks to increase the proportion of uranium-235, which, as we have seen, is physically, within the total mass of uranium. However, this last isotope is very scarce in nature. So much that only represents 0.7% of natural uranium. The nuclear reactors of the power plants require … Read more

The US attack on Iran was a forceful message to the development of nuclear weapons. Less for North Korea

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It is very possible that a nation has been stuck to television by observing everything that happened in Iran. About 20 years ago, North Korea began Send engineers Specialized in the excavation of deep tunnels to Tehran. Two decades later, what was learned was tested through the greater furtive attack of the United States against Iranian underground nuclear facilities. A nuclear lesson. They had several analysts In the CNN than the recent ones United States bombings by deployment of b-2 bombersThey have caused an immediate shock not only in the Middle East, but also in Eastern Asia. For experts, this act of force launches a clear (and dangerous) message to North Korea: without nuclear weapons, You are vulnerable. For Kim Jong Un, which has been reinforcing for years Your atomic program As the Central Survival Pilar of the regime, the US attack confirms a long sustained narrative: nuclear deterrence is the only reliable shield against a regime change from the outside. Thus, far from determining proliferation, military action against Iran could accelerate Pyongyang’s arms expansion, in addition to strengthening its Strategic Alliance With Russia, which has become A military lifeguardtechnological and vital economy For the North Korean regime since the beginning of the war in Ukraine. The Moscow-Pyongyang axis. We have gone counting. Since 2024, North Korea and Russia have Institutionalized your cooperation in a strategic agreement of broad scope. According to A report of the multilateral sanctions monitoring team, Pyongyang has sent More than 14,000 soldiers and millions of ammunition, including missiles and rockets, to support the Russian invasion of Ukraine. In return, has received Air defense systems, anti -aircraft missiles, electronic warfters, critical military technology and refined fuel. Plus: the ability to Build Shaheds. This exchange not only finances the North Korean military program, but allows you to access to advanced technologiesdirect experience in modern war and an alternative source of resources to Western sanctions. In the eyes of the North Korean regime, the pact is not only pragmatic but necessary in the face of international isolation, and the attack on Iran makes it even more indispensable. Examples feeding the paranoia. From that perspective, the strategic message could not be clearer to Kim: countries that do not have nuclear weapons are exposed to American intervention. Iraq was invaded without having weapons of mass destruction. Libya left his nuclear program in exchange for diplomatic normalization, just to see Gaddafi overthrown years later. Iran signed the nuclear agreement and maintained its enrichment below the arms threshold, According to the OIEAbut it was still attacked. Two certainties. In contrast, North Korea has already done Six nuclear testshe owns between 40 and 50 active heads and has developed ballistic missiles Intercontinental capable of reaching the United States. Its arsenal, which includes multiple launch vectors, makes Pyongyang an actor with real deterrence and radically differentiates it from Iran. For Victor Cha, from CSIS, American bombings to Iran reinforce in Kim two certainties: The United States does not have a viable military option against the North Korean nuclear program, and its decision to maintain and expand its nuclear arsenal was correct. First nuclear submarine of North Korea Tripartite deterrence. In addition, there is a difference against Iran: North Korea has a Triple Defense System that complicates any American military option. First, its own nuclear arsenal, second, the defensive alliance with Russia, which allows Moscow to intervene automatically in case of attack, and third, the legal and political need of Prior consultation With South Korea, required by the bilateral treaty with Washington, which converts any action into a regional and diplomatic high voltage issue. In this regard, Professor Lim Eul-Chul warnedfrom the Kyungam University, which attacking North Korea could detonate a Total nuclear wargiven your ability to respond. “It’s not Iran,” LEIF-AMER EASLEY emphasizesby Ewha Womans University. Pyongyang can Attack directly To the United States and, in addition, Seoul is shot from most of its weapons systems. Deterrence when rearma. The foreseeable consequence of the attack on Iran is a hardening of the North Korean position. The regime could Accelerate your tests Ballistics, advance in new eyes, experiment with long -range propulsion and expand your attack vectors. I would also do it under the mantle Russia protector and in open indifference to the resolutions of the UN Security Council, whose coercive effects have been reduced to a diplomatic formality. In strategic terms, North Korea’s reaction will probably not be defensive but expansive: Technological cooperation with Moscow, joint military exercises, transfer of ballistic knowledge and new forms of economic and military interdependence. The TNP. They remembered In The Conversation That the non -proliferation treaty, adopted in 1968, was a commitment between the five recognized nuclear powers (United States, Soviet Union, France, United Kingdom and China) to not transfer nuclear weapons and commit, at least formally, to disarmament. In return, other countries promised not to develop atomic weapons. The treaty, then reinforced with the additional protocol of the OIEA, endowed the nuclear inspection agency for broad powers for Verify peaceful use of atomic energy. It was the Oiea who first warned in 2003 about the suspicious enrichment of Uranium in Iran. And it was also this organization that, weeks before the recent bombings, denounced the Iranian breach for the first time in twenty years. A fragile pact. However, effectiveness of the TNP It has been undermined for decades. The nuclear powers never fulfilled their disarmament commitments. In the case of North Korea, He withdrew from the treaty In 2003, he performed his first nuclear test in 2006 and today could possess up to 50 eyelets. Israel, meanwhile, never formally joined, and maintains a unpacked arsenal. India, Pakistan and North Korea have stayed out or have been disconnected. In other words, the covenant has weakened by its own architecture that, although universal, is structurally vulnerable. Iran and North Korea. To all this, the professor of economics underlined Anthony Burke that Iran now has Two roads. The first would be to reconstruct its uranium enrichment capacity and acquire … Read more

Iran, Ivanka Trump and Venice’s threats

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One day from the beginning of the controversy Jeff Bezos wedding in Venicethe pearl of the Mediterranean has been filled with luxury yachts, celebrities, curious and activists with intention to manifest your discontent With the inconvenience that such a private event is causing in the city. The wedding, which in principle was planned to take place between June 24 and 26, finally He postponed To celebrate for three days between June 26 and 28. That was not going to be the only change on the agenda. The protests and threats Run by different groups of activists to boycott the acts, it has forced the place where the link for security reasons will be held. Iran, Trump and a complex wedding One of the star events that was going to be held on the occasion of the millionaire link with Lauren Sánchez was going to take place on Saturday at the Scuola Grande Di Misericordia, located near the Grand Canal. However, for security reasonsthe organization has considered adequate Transfer it Al Arsenale de Venice, a medieval complex of the Venetian Republic that has already housed great events on the occasion of the Biennale. Its location is made a safer and easy to control enclave since it is located at the east end of the city. The presence of important entrepreneurs, millionaires and relevant personalities, including Ivanka Trump, daughter of the president of the United States, have extreme security for fear of a terrorist attack In response to the recent US bombing to the plants in nuclear enrichment of Iran. “We have raised the alert levels for the international situation,” said Darco Pellos, prefect of the city. Arsenale walled door Bezos, Go Home The change of location also responds to the pressure that activist groups They have been carrying out for a few weeks, with protests and banners in which it was criticized that Venice has become the wedding set for the millionaire. Among the threats of these groups of activists, to which It has joined Greenpeace, was boycoting the accesses to events Blocking the channels With inflatable boats, vessels and even throwing themselves into the water in the face of boats with guests if necessary. Carry out these threats In Arsenale it will be more complicated because it is a place with access to open water. According The published by Reutersthe change of location has already been considered as a success for this protest movement. “The news that Bezos has fled from mercy is a great victory for us,” said Tommaso Cacciari, leader of the platform “There is no space for Bezos” According to published Swissinfoin an attempt to congratulate the city, the founder of Amazon would have asked in his invitation to the ceremony that the guests do not give them gifts on the occasion of their link, suggesting them to make donations to the city in return. The tycoon would have chosen three local organizations to channel those donations: UNESCO in Venice, dedicated to protecting the heritage of the city; the Corila association, which investigates the preservation of the Venetian lagoon; and Venice International University, which investigates sustainable solutions for lake conservation in the area. An airport full of Vips Venice Airport has become a hotbed of private jets that brought the more than 200 guests to the link, among which are Oprah Winfrey, Eva Longoria, Leonardo DiCaprio, Shakira, Robert Pattinson, Karlie Kloss, Mick Jagger, Elton John, Bill Gates and a good part of the Kardashian clan. Lady Gaga has also reached the city, and her role is expected to be double, since she will attend the ceremony as a guest, but also will give a private concert For link attendees, agree To what is published by Euronews. According to published The Italian The repubblicaBezos and Sánchez would also have already landed in Venice, although in their case they did it by helicopter taking off from Your support yacht Abeona from Koruafter enjoying a journey along the coast of Croatia. The couple was seen in a boat in the Embarcadero of the Aman hotel, one of the most luxurious hotels in the city. The change of location has not been the only security measure adopted at the last minute. Some of the megayates that They planned to tie up In the city they have decided to stay away. The two most representative are Abeona and Koru, owned by Jeff Bezos, who will remain on the coast of Croatia. However, some guest yachts have tied in Venice. They have been seen he KISMETowned by Shahid Khan and the Arience, Jeff Bezos’ Investor and Personal Friend, Bill Miller. In Xataka | Jeff Bezos is not going to marry, it merges: a armored prenuptial agreement to avoid the second most expensive divorce in history Image | Wikimedia Commons (Sergey Ashmarin, Didier Descuens), Flickr (IAFASTRO)

This is the plane that USA used in Iran

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He B-2 Spirit It has been used again in a conflict scenario, this time within the framework of an American operation against nuclear facilities in Iran. It does not usually transcend information about its deployment, but this mission has been publicly confirmed. What has come to light allows us to better understand how a bomber is operated that, by design, is designed not to leave their mark. The mission, baptized as Operation Midnight Hammerwas executed under direct orders of the US president. The objective: attack three Iranian nuclear infrastructure in a coordinated, fast and with the lowest possible margin. As explained General Dan Caine at a press conference, the main deployment was made up of seven B-2 bombers, which took off from the American continent and flew for more than 18 hours until reaching their goal (about 37 hours in total). Official Pentagon Diagram showing the B-2 route in the midnight hammer operation against Iran During that journey, the airplanes made multiple reposses in flight, presumably using airplanes KC-135 Stratotankerwith the support of units that coordinated the operation in several domains: terrestrial, aerial, spatial and cybernetic. The logistics complexity was such that Some bombers were diverted to the Pacific as lurein a deception effort that only knew a handful of military controls. Go out without being seen The main formation crossed the Iranian airspace in complete radio silence, escorted by fourth and fifth generation fighters They cleared the corridor at high speed. The maneuver was backed by different commands – including the US Strategic Command and the Space Command– And it was timed to the second. According to the Pentagon, no enemy shots were recorded during the approach. Once on the ground, the B-2 attacked Fordow and Natanz, two of the most sensitive enclaves of the Iranian nuclear program. Minutes before, an American submarine had launched more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles to neutralize other defenses and surface structures. Now, piloting a B-2 in a mission of this type requires more than skill. Require Aguante. They are only two crew on board, in a cabin that – although broader than that of other bombers – is not intended for comfort. They carry suits, helmets, oxygen masks and sit in ejectable seats that have been described as “Notably uncomfortable” for those who have flown in them. The rest moments are contemplated: there are times when one can pilot, and the other sleep. As explained to Newsweek Naveed Jamali, a journalist and veteran who witnessed one of the training, the pilots must complete simulations of up to 24 hours to be authorized to participate. The plane has toilet, but not with a full bathroom. Four key reasons During his visit to Whiteman Air Force Base, the same journalist interviewed one of those responsible for the unit. He asked what B-2 was unique. The answer was clear: “scope, payload, precision and stealth”That combination, he said, does not offer any other plane in the world. And it is precisely what makes it a critical tool in this type of operations. Scope, payload, precision and stealth: are the four qualities that make B-2 a practically unmatched bomber. B-2 can travel more than 9,600 kilometers without reposting. It can transport up to 20 tons of armament – conventional or nuclear – and is designed to make even the most advanced anti -aircraft systems. It has no direct rivals. And there are only 20 active units. Image of B-2 while supplying fuel in full flight It should be noted that the B-2 is also one of the most expensive to operate. Each unit exceeded the 900 million dollars in 1997 (about 1.8 billion dollars in 2025), Considering only the acquisition cost with spare parts and support. If the total expenditure of the program – development, maintenance, training and facilities – the figure was included, the figure amounted to about $ 2,130 million per aircraft in the late 1990s, According to the US government responsibility office (GAO). The origins of the project date back to late 1970s. Initially 132 units were planned. After the end of the cold war and the dissolution of the USSR, that number was cut. In 1992, President George HW Bush limited production to 20 operational units. Years later, the Clinton administration approved to convert an additional prototype – the number 21 – into fully functional aircraft. The B-2, on stage after the incident recorded in Guam in 2008 Today, however, only 20 active units remain. One was lost in an accident in 2008, shortly after taking off the Andersen base, in Guam. The incident was due to a Anomaly in pressure sensorsaccording to A report of Air Force Safety Center. It was the first accident of a B-2 and its loss was never replaced. The B-2 also has another quality that makes it unique: its ability to transport the Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP), one of the most powerful bombs ever built. Weigh more than 13,000 kilos and is designed to pierce the surface before detonating. Image from below the B-2: its winging design is no accident In this operation, that capacity was key. The Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth, confirmed that it was the First time the MOP was used In a real scenarioand that his role was essential to impact facilities deeply buried as Fordow. Although we will have to wait to know the real damage of the operation. More than 25 years have passed since its entry into service, but the B-2 is still a tool without a rival. Not only for its destructive capacity, but for what it represents: an plane that can cross half planet, dodge defenses and execute a surgical attack without a trace. Images | Northrop Grumman | Dod Rapid Response | US Ministry of Defense | US Air Force (1, 2, 3, 4) In Xataka | The key between a nuclear and latent nuclear program is the destination of the enriched uranium. And that is a problem for the US

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