War in Middle East Shows No Signs of De-escalation
The United States Department of Defense has announced that it is deploying the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) along with a Marine Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East.
Agencies
It is day 16 of the US-Israel war on Iran. There is yet no sign of de-escalation on either side.
The United States Department of Defense has announced that it is deploying the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) along with a Marine Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East.
The deployment will involve around 2,500 U.S. Marines, significantly strengthening American military presence in the region as tensions continue to rise.
Defense officials say the vessel, which is currently based in Japan, is expected to arrive in the Middle East within one to two weeks once the transit is completed.
The move signals a rapid reinforcement of U.S. forces in the region as Washington continues to adjust its military posture amid escalating regional instability.
Israel informed the US this week that it is running critically low on ballistic missile interceptors as Iran’s relentless attacks overwhelm defences, as per a report. The situation has worsened for Israel following Iran’s decision to add a particular munition to its already deadly missile, exacerbating the depletion of Israel’s stock of missile killers.
Watch the report for more details on the U.S.’s reaction to the report.
Iran fights back as US orders more troops, warship to Mideast
The Iranian armed forces have said that any attack on Iran’s oil and energy infrastructure will lead to attacks on energy infrastructure owned by oil companies cooperating with US in the region, Iranian media reported.
The warning came after President Donald Trump claimed that the United States destroyed military targets on Iran’s main oil hub of Kharg Island.
The island serves as the export terminal for 90 percent of Iran’s oil shipments.
An explosion has been heard in Iraq’s capital Baghdad on Saturday, an AFP journalist reported, hours after a missile struck an Iran-backed group in the city.
Residents in the Zayouna district in eastern Baghdad told AFP that the force of the blast shook their houses.
Explosions were heard earlier in Baghdad, which appeared to be a missile strike on a house used by the Iran-backed group Kataeb Hezbollah, killing “a key figure” and wounding two others.
Iran Allows limited tanker passage through Hormuz
Iran is considering allowing a limited number of oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz on the condition that the cargo is traded in Chinese yuan, a senior Iranian official has told CNN.
The official said the potential move is part of Tehran’s plan to manage the flow of oil tankers through the strategic waterway.
Global oil is predominantly traded in US dollars, except for sanctioned Russian oil, which is priced in rubles or the yuan, said CNN, adding that China has sought for years to expand the use of yuan in oil transactions.
Five US Air Force refueling planes have been struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan Air Base in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing two US officials.
The planes, which were hit during an Iranian missile strike on the Saudi base in recent days, were damaged but not fully destroyed and are being repaired, the Journal said, adding that no one was killed in the strikes.
US President Donald Trump has said that the United States attacked “every military target” on Iran’s Kharg Island export hub.
“The United States Central Command executed one of the most powerful bombing raids in the History of the Middle East, and totally obliterated every MILITARY target in Iran’s crown jewel, Kharg Island,” Trump said on social media.
“For reasons of decency, I have chosen NOT to wipe out the Oil Infrastructure on the Island.
However, should Iran or anyone else do anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.”
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