Fog of War and the Iran Strikes

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

Welcome back to The New Sentinel, folks. I'm Major Ethan Graves, and as always, I'm joined by my partner in crime, Duke Johnson. Today, we're diving into the fog of war—specifically, the media battles after the US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites. Duke, you ready to wade into this mess?

Duke Johnson

Oh, you know it, Ethan. This is my bread and butter. I mean, you got CNN and The New York Times on one side, Pentagon briefings and Trump’s team on the other, and somewhere in the middle, the truth’s gettin’ chewed up and spit out. I swear, half the time, the press secretaries are just runnin’ interference, not answerin’ questions. And then you got leaks—leaks everywhere. It’s like a sieve in there.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

Yeah, and the accusations of “fake news” just keep flying. Trump, Hegseth, Rubio—they’re all out there calling the mainstream media “scum” and insisting the strikes were a total success. Meanwhile, the media’s quoting leaked intel saying, “Eh, maybe not so much.” It’s a narrative war, plain and simple.

Duke Johnson

And the public’s caught in the crossfire. You got folks on X—Twitter, whatever—picking sides, echoing whatever their favorite talking head says. I mean, I remember a deployment in Afghanistan, right? We’d be out on patrol, take contact, and by the time we got back to base, the news was already spinning some wild story that barely matched what actually happened. I’d call home, and my wife would be like, “Are you okay? They said you guys got ambushed.” And I’m like, “Nah, we just hit a pothole and lost a tire.”

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

That’s the thing, right? The facts on the ground and what gets reported can be worlds apart. And after these Iran strikes, it’s even worse. You got press briefings where the Pentagon’s trying to keep a lid on things, but then someone leaks a “preliminary” DIA report, and suddenly everyone’s an expert on bunker-buster bombs and uranium stockpiles.

Duke Johnson

Yeah, and the Trump team’s not exactly subtle about it. They’re out there saying, “Don’t believe the leaks, believe us.” And the media’s like, “Well, we got sources.” It’s a mess. And honestly, the more they fight, the less the average Joe trusts any of ‘em. That’s how you get folks yelling “fake news” at everything. Hell, sometimes I can’t blame ‘em.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

It’s a trust issue, for sure. And it’s not just about who’s right—it’s about who controls the story. The administration’s using every tool in the box: press secretaries, social media, even delaying Congressional briefings to get their version out first. It’s all about shaping perception, not just reporting facts.

Duke Johnson

And you know, Ethan, that’s the real fog of war. Not just bullets and bombs, but the battle for what people believe. And in this case, the narrative war’s just as fierce as anything on the ground.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

Alright, let’s get into the nuts and bolts—Operation Midnight Hammer. The US and Israel hit Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan with bunker-buster bombs. Trump and his team say those sites were “completely obliterated.” But then you got leaked intel and media reports saying, “Well, maybe not.” So, what’s the real story?

Duke Johnson

Look, the Pentagon’s out there saying it was a flawless mission. Hegseth, Rubio, all those guys—they’re pounding the table, saying every bomb hit its mark. But then you got the DIA report, which, by the way, was “low confidence” and “preliminary,” saying Iran’s uranium stockpile is still mostly intact. So, which is it? I mean, I wanna believe our guys, but I’ve seen enough to know intel ain’t always black and white.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

Exactly. And the IAEA—the UN’s nuclear watchdog—they can’t even get into the sites to verify the damage. Iran’s not letting them in, and there’s talk they might even pull out of the agency altogether. So, we’re left with satellite photos, official statements, and a lot of guesswork. And let’s not forget, Fordow’s built under a mountain. That’s not your average target. Even with bunker-busters, you can destroy entrances, but what’s going on deep inside? That’s a whole different ballgame.

Duke Johnson

Yeah, Fordow’s a beast. I mean, you got a facility buried hundreds of feet under rock. The bomb guys spent, what, 15 years developing the right weapon for this? That’s dedication. But even then, unless you’re boots on the ground, you can’t say for sure what’s left. Reminds me of all those old stories you tell, Ethan, about World War II—deception, dummy tanks, fake radio traffic. Sometimes what you see from the air ain’t what’s really there.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

That’s right. Military deception goes way back. The enemy knows we’re watching, so they hide, they fake, they rebuild. And with Fordow, even if you collapse the entrances, the Iranians could have moved stuff deeper or set up decoys. The only thing we know for sure is that rebuilding’s gonna cost them—a lot. But as for “obliteration”? I’d hedge my bets. The truth’s probably somewhere between “total destruction” and “just a scratch.”

Duke Johnson

And the politics of it all—man, that’s half the story. Trump’s team wants a win, so they’re gonna call it a win. The media wants a scandal, so they’re gonna dig for doubt. Meanwhile, the real intel folks are still piecing it together. And the IAEA? They’re stuck outside the fence, waiting for an invite that might never come.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

And that’s the challenge. In the absence of hard proof, everyone fills in the blanks with their own agenda. It’s a classic case of the fog of war—only this time, it’s as much about information as it is about bombs and bunkers.

Duke Johnson

So, let’s talk about what comes next. Iran’s response, the regional mess, and the so-called “axis of upheaval.” We got a ceasefire, but it’s shaky as hell. Hezbollah, the Houthis, all those proxies—they’re still out there, and they could jump in any time. It’s like a powder keg, man.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

Yeah, and Iran’s regime is wounded, but not out. They took a hit—lost top generals, scientists, infrastructure—but they’re still standing. Their missile forces are intact, and they showed they can strike back, even if most of those missiles got intercepted. But the real surprise? Russia, China, North Korea—they all sat this one out. No real help for Iran, just some tough talk and finger-wagging at the UN.

Duke Johnson

That’s the thing, Ethan. For all the hype about this “axis,” when the shooting started, they just watched. Russia’s too busy in Ukraine, China’s got oil deals to protect, and North Korea—well, they’re not sending missiles 4,000 miles. Iran’s on its own, and that sends a message. If you’re looking for a team to back you up, America’s still the big dog. That’s why our alliances matter, even if folks like to gripe about NATO spending.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

And for Iran, rebuilding’s gonna be brutal. Their economy’s already in the tank—sanctions, oil embargoes, you name it. Now they gotta pour billions into fixing what got bombed, and maybe dig even deeper if they want to hide it next time. That’s a tough sell to the Iranian people, especially when they’re already hurting. And if they try to rebuild, they know we can hit ‘em again. It’s a cost-benefit nightmare for them.

Duke Johnson

And for the US, this was a show of force. The SWOT and PESTEL stuff—yeah, I read your notes, Ethan—basically says we flexed hard, but there’s risks. We got credibility, we got alliances, but we also got legal headaches, leaks, and a public that’s split down the middle. Still, if you’re a country on the fence, you look at what happened and think, “Maybe I want America on my side, not the other guys.”

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

That’s the global impact, right there. America’s still the anchor in the storm, but the world’s watching to see if we keep it up. The ceasefire’s fragile, the region’s tense, and the narrative war’s still raging. But for now, the US and its allies showed they can act—and that matters. We’ll see how long that balance holds.

Duke Johnson

Yeah, and you know, Ethan, this story ain’t over. The fog of war’s still thick, and the next chapter’s just around the corner. We’ll be here to break it down, no matter how messy it gets.

Major Ethan “Sentinel” Graves

That’s right. Thanks for joining us on The New Sentinel. We’ll keep digging, keep questioning, and keep bringing you the real story—no matter how many narratives we gotta cut through. Duke, always a pleasure, brother.

Duke Johnson

You too, Ethan. Stay sharp out there, folks. We’ll catch you next time. Out.