The United States sent the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and 2,500 additional marines toward the Middle East on Saturday, significantly reinforcing its military posture in the region as the conflict with Iran entered its third week. Marine expeditionary units are trained for a wide range of operations, including amphibious landings, embassy security, civilian evacuations, and humanitarian relief. Officials stressed the deployment did not necessarily signal an imminent ground operation, but the move underscored Washington’s determination to maintain escalation options.
The deployment came as US warplanes continued bombing runs against Iran, including further strikes on Kharg Island following a major assault on Friday. President Trump claimed the island had been effectively demolished and declined to rule out additional strikes. He called on allied nations — specifically China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK — to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had kept closed since fighting began on February 28. The waterway carries about a fifth of global oil and gas supplies daily, and its closure had pushed energy prices sharply higher.
Iran appeared undeterred by the military build-up. Its forces launched ballistic missiles at the UAE on Saturday, striking near Fujairah’s major oil port and forcing a suspension of loading operations. Iranian military commanders warned civilians near UAE ports and US installations to evacuate and threatened to attack any Gulf energy or economic facility with American ownership. Iran’s foreign minister called on Arab states to expel US forces, framing the conflict as one of foreign aggression against Iranian sovereignty.
Israel was also deeply embedded in the offensive, conducting dozens of airstrikes across Iran on Saturday. At least 15 people were killed when an Israeli strike hit a factory in Isfahan. Iran continued to fire rockets at Israel in retaliation. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth described Iran’s leadership as “desperate and hiding” underground, claiming Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been wounded. Iranian officials confirmed the injury but said it was not serious. Analysts warned that despite losing senior leaders, the Iranian regime remained intact and capable of executing a prolonged military campaign.
The war’s toll was accumulating at an alarming rate. Between 1,400 and 1,800 people had been reported killed in Iran. Thirteen Israelis and roughly 20 Gulf residents had died. Lebanon’s humanitarian crisis deepened, with over 800 killed and 850,000 displaced from Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. The US embassy in Baghdad was struck overnight, triggering an evacuation order for all Americans in Iraq. Six US service members died in a military aircraft crash in western Iraq. With oil prices rising and no diplomatic path visible, analysts warned the world was edging closer to a severe economic crisis.