International oil, gold, and silver prices surge collectively! Major moves reported by the U.S. military!

There are new developments in the Middle East involving the U.S. military!

According to recent foreign media reports, the United States is withdrawing approximately 1,000 troops from Syria to end its decade-long military presence there.

Notably, media reports indicate that after a significant troop surge in the Middle East in recent days, the U.S. military is prepared to launch an attack on Iran as early as this weekend. However, President Trump has not yet made a final decision.

Influenced by these developments, international oil, gold, and silver prices surged sharply on Wednesday. WTI crude oil futures rose over 4%, closing at $64.94 per barrel; spot gold increased nearly 2%, approaching $5,000 per ounce; spot silver jumped nearly 5%, breaking through $77 per ounce.

During Thursday’s Asian trading session, international oil prices continued to rise. As of the time of writing, WTI crude oil increased 0.35%, surpassing $65 per barrel; gold slightly declined by 0.12%; silver edged up by 0.08%.

U.S. Troops Withdraw from Syria

According to Xinhua News Agency citing The Wall Street Journal on the 18th, the U.S. is withdrawing about 1,000 troops from Syria to end its ten-year military presence there.

The report quotes multiple U.S. officials saying that the U.S. has recently completed the withdrawal from the Tanf military base near the Jordan and Iraq borders, as well as the Shadadi military base in northeastern Syria, and plans to withdraw remaining forces within the next two months.

U.S. officials stated that, given the near-dissolution of the Syrian Democratic Forces, led by Kurdish groups and supported by the U.S., the Trump administration has decided that maintaining a military presence in Syria is no longer necessary. Meanwhile, the U.S. aims to strengthen diplomatic relations with the Syrian transitional government.

The report also states that the troop withdrawal is unrelated to the U.S. preparations for military strikes on Iran should negotiations break down. Iran has also threatened to retaliate against U.S. forces stationed in the Middle East if the U.S. launches airstrikes.

Additionally, another factor influencing the U.S. withdrawal decision is the situation of thousands of ISIS detainees in northeastern Syria. On January 19, ISIS members held at the Shadadi prison managed by the Syrian Democratic Forces escaped. Concerns about similar incidents have increased, prompting the U.S. to transfer 7,000 ISIS detainees to Iraq, a neighboring country.

Since September 2014, the U.S. has led an international coalition to combat ISIS, conducting airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. The U.S. began deploying troops in Syria in 2015. Currently, about 1,000 U.S. troops are in Syria, mostly in the northeast, stationed with the Syrian Democratic Forces, with a smaller number at the Tanf base in the south.

Potential Strike on Iran as Early as This Weekend?

According to CNN, the U.S. military is prepared to launch an attack on Iran as early as this weekend, but President Trump has not yet made a final decision on whether to authorize such action.

Citing sources familiar with the matter, the report states that the White House has been informed that, following recent large-scale aerial and naval deployments in the Middle East, the U.S. could initiate an attack as soon as this weekend. Trump has privately debated the pros and cons of military action and has consulted advisors and allies on the best course of action—it’s unclear whether he will decide before the weekend.

A person familiar with the meetings revealed that top national security officials convened a meeting in the White House Situation Room this Wednesday to discuss Iran. On the same day, Trump also received a briefing from U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff regarding indirect talks with Iran the previous day. An insider said, “He (Trump) is spending a lot of time thinking about this.”

Additionally, NBC reports that senior U.S. national security officials have told Trump that the military is ready to strike Iran as early as the 21st of this month. The report states that within the next three days, the Department of Defense will temporarily relocate some personnel from the Middle East to Europe or back to the U.S. in case Iran takes action or retaliates.

On Tuesday, Iran and U.S. representatives held a three-and-a-half-hour indirect meeting in Geneva but did not reach a clear outcome. Iran’s chief negotiator said both sides agreed on “a set of guiding principles,” while U.S. officials said “many details still need to be discussed.”

On Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated at a press conference that “there are many reasons and arguments to strike Iran,” but diplomacy remains the preferred approach. She also said that reaching an agreement with Iran would be “very wise.” Jean-Pierre indicated that Iran is expected to clarify its negotiating stance “in the coming weeks,” but she did not specify whether Trump would delay military action during this period.

Her ambiguous remarks have heightened concerns about the potential for military conflict between the U.S. and Iran, despite official statements emphasizing a desire to pursue diplomatic solutions.

Meanwhile, according to the latest satellite images and analysis from the Center for Science and International Security, Iran is reinforcing multiple nuclear facilities by burying key sites with concrete and large amounts of earth to counter U.S. military pressure.

Axios reported on the 18th that there are currently no signs of a breakthrough in U.S.-Iran diplomatic negotiations. At the same time, increasing evidence suggests that a U.S. military operation against Iran is imminent. If such an attack occurs, it is likely to be a large-scale operation lasting several weeks. The U.S. and Israel are expected to coordinate, with a scale much larger than the “June 12 War” last year.

Currently, the U.S. has deployed an aircraft carrier strike group in the Middle East, with a second strike group in deployment. Reports indicate that the U.S. has also deployed over a dozen other warships, hundreds of fighter jets, and multiple air defense systems in the region, along with more than 150 sorties of military transport aircraft moving weapons and ammunition into the Middle East.

(Source: Securities Times)