Tom Nichols: “Trump did seem to have an overarching goal at the start of the war: regime change. In a video he released during the first night of the attack, he told the Iranian authorities to surrender and called on the Iranian people to rise up against their government.”

“Unfortunately, the regime in Tehran seems to be recovering and, even worse, consolidating power. The American intelligence community has reportedly issued an assessment that the regime ‘will remain intact and possibly even emboldened, believing it stood up to Trump and survived.'”

“Trump now appears lost, unable to comprehend how a blockbuster movie that he scripted out, one in which he cast himself as the Liberator of Iran, has turned into a poorly received miniseries that might yet be renewed for another dreary season.”

New York Times: “U.S. warplanes and attack helicopters are ramping up assaults against Iranian drones and naval vessels in an escalating military effort to clear the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway that Iran has effectively closed to most Western shipping.”

Gallup: “Finland once again leads the world as the happiest country, according to the latest World Happiness Report, marking its ninth consecutive year at No. 1.”

“The Nordic nations continue to dominate the top of the rankings, with Iceland, Denmark, Sweden and Norway joining Finland in filling five of the top six spots this year.”

Bloomberg: “Signs of hardship are everywhere in Cuba. The fuel crunch is exacerbating problems with an already decrepit grid. The country suffered two major blackouts — one of them island-wide — in March alone. Gasoline is being rationed, tourist resorts are being shuttered, and the government has told airlines they won’t be able to refuel.”

“The United Nations said that the US fuel blockade is keeping the government from delivering food to its most vulnerable citizens, and is pushing it to the edge of a humanitarian crisis.”

“China, Brazil, Mexico and others are providing — or have pledged to provide — food and humanitarian aid. But without major fuel shipments, it’s unclear how long Cuba’s government can remain afloat.”

The Economist: Cuba’s broken economy leaves it at Donald Trump’s mercy.

Associated Press: “The stranglehold is disrupting the lives of Cuba’s 11 million residents, who are enduring massive blackouts and a breakdown in medical care due to a lack of fuel.”

Wall Street Journal: “Twenty days into the war, the commander in chief has used his favorite platform—Truth Social—to cajole allies, berate adversaries, reassure embattled Gulf states and conduct his own unique form of online diplomacy.”

“Never before has a U.S. president, the world’s most powerful figure, telegraphed his thoughts about war planning so publicly, broadcasting his decision-making and communicating his views in real time.”