US sends Marines, amphibious assault ship to Middle East

The United States is deploying thousands of additional Marines to the Middle East, Reuters reported on Friday, as US President Donald Trump criticized NATO allies for staying out of his mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz.

The strategic waterway – which carries about one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies – has been choked off since the United States and Israel launched their war against Iran nearly three weeks ago.

Key energy infrastructure in Iran and neighboring Gulf states has come under repeated attack, sending oil prices up by roughly 50% and raising fears of a global economic shock.

More than 2,000 people have been killed, mostly in Iran and Lebanon. In the United States, rising fuel costs are fueling public concern that the conflict could expand further. 

Intensifying strikes and regional spillover

On Friday, Israel said it carried out two major waves of airstrikes targeting weapons production facilities and ballistic missile storage sites in Tehran and central Iran.

At the same time, Israel reported multiple waves of Iranian missile attacks, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Explosions from intercepted missiles were heard across both cities. According to Israel's health ministry, 4,099 people have been hospitalized since the start of large-scale military operations against Iran, with 80 still receiving treatment.

Fragments from an Iranian missile struck near Jerusalem's Old City – a site sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims – though no casualties were reported.

In Iraq, a security source said a US diplomatic support facility near Baghdad International Airport was hit early Saturday, sparking a fire inside the compound.

US troop deployment

Three US officials said about 2,500 Marines, along with the USS Boxer amphibious assault ship and accompanying warships, are being deployed to the region. Their specific mission has not been disclosed.

Two officials said no decision has been made on whether to send ground troops into Iran. Earlier reports suggested potential targets could include Iran's coastline or the Kharg Island oil export hub.

Trump said Washington is close to achieving its objectives – weakening Iran's military and preventing it from developing nuclear weapons – and is considering scaling down operations.

At the same time, he sharply criticized US allies, calling them "cowards" for refusing to assist in securing the Strait of Hormuz in a conflict they were not consulted on.

Several allies have pledged to support "appropriate efforts" to ensure safe passage, but Germany and France have said hostilities must end first. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said he would speak with Trump over the weekend.

Trump also called on countries reliant on the strait to take responsibility for its security. "The Hormuz Strait will have to be guarded and policed, as necessary, by other Nations who use it – The United States does not!" he wrote on Truth Social.

The United Kingdom has authorized the United States to use its bases to launch strikes on Iranian missile sites targeting shipping in the strait.

Iran signals defiance

As Muslims across the region marked Eid al-Fitr and Iranians celebrated Nowruz, the Persian New Year, Iran's new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei issued a message of defiance.

Khamenei, who has not appeared in public since an Israeli strike killed his father, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the outset of the war, said Iran had responded with unity and resilience, delivering "a disorienting blow to the enemy."

He acknowledged economic and governance challenges, saying Iran must strengthen livelihoods, improve infrastructure and build economic resilience. He declared the new year's theme as achieving economic stability under "national unity and security," and said a comprehensive plan is ready for implementation.

On foreign policy, Khamenei emphasized strengthening ties with neighboring countries, calling for greater regional cooperation, including with Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also denied Iranian involvement in recent attacks in Türkiye and Oman, calling them "false-flag operations" aimed at sowing division, which Iran attributes to its "enemies."

Despite weeks of intense bombardment, US and Israeli officials say Iran retains the capacity to retaliate. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said they launched multi-warhead missile strikes on Haifa and Tel Aviv and used drones to target US military assets, including Sheikh Isa Air Base in Bahrain. The US military has not commented.

Iran's Tasnim news agency reported that Intelligence Minister Esmail Ahmadi was killed, the latest in a series of assassinations targeting senior Iranian figures.

Energy shock

Rising fuel prices are emerging as a political risk for Trump, with Republicans preparing to defend narrow congressional majorities in the November elections.

Brent crude traded near $110 a barrel on Friday after surging a day earlier, amid fears of what could be the largest disruption to global energy supplies on record.

Global oil and petroleum flows have dropped by around 12 million barrels per day – roughly 12% of total demand – due to production cuts and export halts by Gulf producers. Analysts warn the shortfall cannot easily be replaced and could have lasting effects for months or even years.

A major gas field in Qatar was disrupted by an Iranian strike, while Kuwait said its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery was hit by drone attacks, igniting parts of the facility. Iraq has declared force majeure on oilfields operated by foreign companies.

The Trump administration on Friday issued a 30-day sanctions waiver for the purchase of Iranian oil at sea to ease energy supply pressures – the third such waiver in about two weeks. The US had previously eased sanctions on Russian oil and on Friday issued a general license allowing the sale of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products loaded on vessels between March 20 and April 19.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the move would bring approximately 140 million barrels of oil to global markets.

(With input from agencies)