As tensions over trade, Taiwan, technology, and global influence intensify, the meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping may determine the future balance of power between Washington and Beijing. By Dr. Pshtiwan Faraj | Sulaimani, Iraq | 13 May 2026 — Kurdish Policy Analysis "We don't have permanent allies and we don't have permanent enemies, only our interests are permanent, and we have to follow them." – Henry John Temple. The root of the current Strait of Hormuz tensions is not only about shipping routes or oil prices, but also about the final collapse of the historical US concept towards Beijing. However, the 2025 National Security Strategy, released by the White House in November, says this was a historic mistake because China used the assets it accumulated to strengthen itself and compete with the West, not to become their partner. For many years, the United States alone maintained maritime security; The fifth US ship in Manama, Bahrain, worked only to keep o...
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The Hidden War Beneath the Eastern Mediterranean: Gas, Power, and Politics
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Forget terrorism and nuclear fears—the real battle is over trillions of cubic feet of natural gas and billions in oil reserves under Gaza, Lebanon, and Israel.
The war in Gaza has never been just about Hamas. And the conflicts now escalating across the Middle East aren’t only about nuclear weapons or terrorism.
Beneath the eastern Mediterranean lies a secret almost nobody talks about—but it may explain everything happening on the surface.
In 1999, British Gas discovered two significant natural gas fields off Gaza’s coast: Gaza Marine 1 and Gaza Marine 2. Located just 36 kilometers offshore, these fields are estimated to hold up to 1.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
The Palestinian Authority signed a 25-year license with British Gas: develop the fields, and Palestinians would receive their share of revenues. But Israel blocked it—for 25 years. Every negotiation, every deal, every attempt to develop the gas was stopped.
When Hamas won the elections in 2007, Israel imposed a naval blockade, halting offshore development entirely. By December 2008, British Gas closed its offices in Tel Aviv and walked away.
Today, that gas remains untouched underwater, and the Palestinian people have never received a single dollar from it.
According to UNCTAD, the United Nations trade body, Palestinians lost an estimated $4.59 billion in potential revenue over 18 years from these fields.
But Gaza Marine is just the beginning. It’s part of a much larger and more valuable region: the Levant Basin Province.
In 2010, the US Geological Survey assessed the Levant Basin and found:
122 trillion cubic feet of natural gas
1.7 billion barrels of oil
This vast offshore region stretches across the coasts of Gaza, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and Cyprus, making it one of the largest offshore gas provinces ever discovered.
Israel sits at the center, controlling major fields like Tamar and Leviathan—the latter the largest in the Mediterranean. In January 2026, just weeks before this war escalated, Chevron approved new investments to expand Leviathan’s production.
This raises key questions:
Why does Israel want full control of the Lebanese coastline?
Why is the war pushing into Lebanon?
Why does Lebanon matter beyond Hezbollah?
The answer: Lebanon’s coastline sits directly above a portion of the Levant Basin, with an estimated 30 trillion cubic feet of gas. Syria’s coast also sits atop this energy treasure. Control over the entire eastern Mediterranean coastline means controlling the energy supply that Europe desperately needs after the Russia-Ukraine war disrupted Russian gas exports.
Here’s a truth about wars: “Governments don’t spend trillions of dollars and thousands of lives for ideas—they spend them for assets.”
The asset in this conflict is clear: the Levant Basin. 122 trillion cubic feet of gas, 1.7 billion barrels of oil, beneath a strip of water that the world is increasingly fighting over.
This isn’t a conspiracy theory. The US Geological Survey published the numbers in 2010, UNCTAD confirmed Palestinian stakes in 2019, and the Leviathan and Tamar fields are already producing today. Every country controlling a piece of the eastern Mediterranean coastline controls part of the most valuable underdeveloped energy resource on the planet.
The financial reality behind the headlines is undeniable: “The person who controls the energy controls the economy.”
In 1974, oil shaped the world. In 2026, it’s the gas beneath the eastern Mediterranean.
Iran Drops “Lord of the Straits” Animation — A Chilling Signal Over Hormuz Control March 23, 2026 Iranian state-affiliated media outlets have released a stylized animation titled “Lord of the Straits,” centered on the strategic Strait of Hormuz , as tensions in the region continue to escalate. The animation, which has circulated widely on social media, depicts a dramatized narrative emphasizing Iran’s control and influence over the narrow maritime passage, a critical artery for global oil shipments. While the video does not include official military statements, analysts say its messaging aligns with Tehran’s broader strategic signaling amid the ongoing confrontation involving the United States and its allies. The Strait of Hormuz handles roughly a fifth of the world’s oil trade, making any perceived threat to its security a major concern for global energy markets. Recent weeks have seen heightened rhetoric from multiple sides, including warnings over potential di...
Godzilla escorts an oil tanker through the Strait of Hormuz in a viral meme capturing the chaos of rising global tensions in 2026 Japan Deploys Legendary Asset to Secure Strait of Hormuz: Godzilla Now on Escort Duty As tensions surge in the Strait of Hormuz —a critical artery for nearly 20% of global oil—an unexpected viral moment has taken over the internet: Japan has “deployed” Godzilla . What started as a joke is now one of the most shared reactions to a rapidly escalating geopolitical crisis in 2026. Why This Matters The Strait of Hormuz handles nearly 20% of global oil Any disruption impacts fuel prices worldwide Escalation could affect Iraq, Kurdistan, and global markets In a move that has stunned military analysts and delighted meme lords everywhere, Japan has apparently answered the call to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz —by sending its most fearsome maritime guardian straight from the silver screen. A now-viral image shows the King of the Mo...
ANALYSIS — Last-ditch diplomacy tests limits as U.S.–Iran war nears escalation point. Backchannel diplomacy scrambles for a 45-day pause as threats escalate and the fate of the region hangs on a rapidly closing window. Kurdish Policy Analysis , April 6 (Analysis) — A flurry of high-stakes diplomacy aimed at halting the U.S.–Iran war has emerged as what officials describe as a “last realistic opportunity” to prevent a far wider regional conflict, even as military threats intensify and timelines compress. At the center of the effort is a proposed 45-day ceasefire , structured as a two-phase process: an initial pause in hostilities followed by negotiations toward a permanent settlement . A narrow diplomatic window The urgency reflects a rapidly closing window. U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed a deadline—extended slightly to Tuesday evening— warning of major strikes if Iran fails to meet key demands, including reopening the Strait of Hormuz , a vital artery for glo...
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