# United States and Israel are bombing Iran {for current/ongoing events, past/future have specific threads} **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Tags:** trump, iran-strikes-2026\ **Created:** [February 28, 2026, 7:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071 "2026-02-28T07:56:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 70
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1393 "2026-04-19T21:13:33Z")
Trump appears to be the main source but the article is treating it as fact. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1394 "2026-04-19T21:24:38Z")
Thanks for that. That seems to be how all of the reporting of our war is going. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1395 "2026-04-19T21:48:48Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Thanks for that. That seems to be how all of the reporting of our war is going What do you expect them to do? It’s not like they can interview Iranian eyewitnesses. Especially for incidents that occurred in the middle of the strait. ---
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1396 "2026-04-19T21:51:17Z")
“Trump claims without evidence” was their go to for a while, maybe they can bring that back. Or “known liar Donald Trump says, and we’re unable to verify, that…” ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1397 "2026-04-19T22:36:45Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > What do you expect them to do? Wait for a reliable secondary source to confirm that this actually happened. Since Trump is having imaginary negotiations (that always result in everything he wants), he could also be capturing imaginary ships. I’m sure Iran will make a statement soon enough but we’re still living in the timeline where everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth has to be fact checked. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1398 "2026-04-19T22:54:43Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Thanks for that. That seems to be how all of the reporting of our war is going. I suppose that’s because Hegseth banned all but his chosen few news agency from the Pentagon. ---
**Author:** ![Smapti](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smapti/32/17938_2.png) [@Smapti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smapti)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1399 "2026-04-19T22:55:33Z")
And Trump is now threatening genocide again. > **['The Whole Country's Going to Get Blown Up': Trump Renews Genocidal Threats...](https://www.commondreams.org/news/trump-blow-up-iran)** > > ​"Whether he means it or not, his saying it is an indelible moral stain on our country," said one law professor. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1400 "2026-04-20T00:20:49Z")
> [@DWMarch](#): > > Wait for a reliable secondary source to confirm that this actually happened. > [@DWMarch](#): > > I’m sure Iran will make a statement soon enough but we’re still living in the timeline where everything that comes out of Trump’s mouth has to be fact checked. If the only source that can check Trump’s statement is Iran, then the fact is that there _is no_ “reliable secondary source that can confirm this actually happened”, is there? ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1401 "2026-04-20T00:42:40Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If the only source that can check Trump’s statement is Iran, then the fact is that there _is no_ “reliable secondary source that can confirm this actually happened”, is there? I disagree. Iran’s leadership is not in permanent election campaign mode like Trump is. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1402 "2026-04-20T01:00:56Z")
'Trump says x happened. Iran says x did not happen. We, A News Source, have been unable to independently confirm either statement.’ — I often see news sources say they’ve been unable to independently confirm something. It’s very much too bad to have to apply that disclaimer to statements by the POTUS; but it’s also quite clear that what he says can’t be trusted. ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1403 "2026-04-20T01:07:02Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If the only source that can check Trump’s statement is Iran, then the fact is that there _is no_ “reliable secondary source that can confirm this actually happened”, is there? Aren’t there lots of civilian sources in the shipping industry which keep track of ship traffic? Over the past few months, I’ve seen lots of articles about disrupted oil supplies, shipping routes, etc, often illustrated with graphics . Don"t ships use transponders similar to aircrsft? ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1404 "2026-04-20T01:12:14Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > Don"t ships use transponders similar to aircrsft? Sure, there’s various OS INT chatter about this just like anything else that happens. > > ---
**Author:** ![DWMarch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwmarch/32/1010_2.png) [@DWMarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DWMarch)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1405 "2026-04-20T01:27:59Z")
> [@Babale](#): > > If the only source that can check Trump’s statement is Iran, then the fact is that there _is no_ “reliable secondary source that can confirm this actually happened”, is there? I certainly wouldn’t take everything Iran says at face value but in this particular case, I can’t imagine them lying about what would be a victory for the US. So if they put out a statement to the effect of “we condemn the US attack on our ship” I wouldn’t see any reason to disbelieve that. In any case, it looks like we have secondary sourcing now, assuming one can trust CENTCOM any more than they can trust Iranian officials. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1406 "2026-04-20T01:30:38Z")
The _What’s Going on With Shipping?_ guy on You Tube explains some of the CENTCOM video. ---
**Author:** ![Euphonious\_Polemic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/euphonious_polemic/32/3002_2.png) [@Euphonious\_Polemic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Euphonious_Polemic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1407 "2026-04-20T02:23:31Z")
> [@bobot](#): > > Do they go into more detail than “Trump says”? I feel your frustration. Earlier today, Trump says that Vance, Hegseth and some other toady is heading to Pakistan for intense negotiations on Monday. Iran says “uh, there are no negotiations planned sorry buddy.” I mean, who the heck do we believe? Does ANYone in power know what is actually going on, or is it all just “Trump says”? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1408 "2026-04-20T13:48:37Z")
So they started this war with no mission and no plan, and they still have no mission and no plan to finish or end it. How can anyone support a war that was started with no mission and no plan, and is ongoing causing death and economic chaos and still has no mission and no plan? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1409 "2026-04-20T13:53:25Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > they still have no mission Eh, at this point the mission is to re-open the strait. “A return to status quo” is pretty pathetic, mission-wise. But there you go. > [@iiandyiiii](#): > > no plan to finish or end it. This, I absolutely agree with. As others have noted, Trump’s only strategy for “winning” is bluster. At some point (which we’ve long passed), that doesn’t work. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1410 "2026-04-20T16:24:35Z")
> [@Euphonious\_Polemic](#): > > I mean, who the heck do we believe? Does ANYone in power know what is actually going on, or is it all just “Trump says”? I tend to believe Iran over Trump, which is disgraceful. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1411 "2026-04-20T16:27:49Z")
> **Summary** > > I would believe Pinocchio over Trump at this point. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2026, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071/1412 "2026-04-20T16:29:55Z")
> **Summary** > > No one believes Trump. About anything. > > And you shouldn’t. Ask any NYC contractor, or Melania. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071.md?page=69) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/united-states-and-israel-are-bombing-iran-for-current-ongoing-events-past-future-have-specific-threads/1028071.md?page=71)