Marine Expeditionary Force Heads to Middle East as US Weighs Options in Gulf

The United States reinforced its military posture in the Middle East on Saturday with the deployment of 2,500 additional marines and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli to the region, as the Iran conflict entered its third week with no diplomatic resolution in sight. The arrival of a marine expeditionary unit — capable of amphibious landings, embassy reinforcement, civilian evacuation, and disaster relief operations — signalled Washington’s deepening commitment to the campaign but did not necessarily indicate an imminent ground assault. Officials were careful to note the deployment was precautionary.
The military build-up came as the US continued its air campaign against Iran. US warplanes struck Kharg Island on Friday and again on Saturday, with President Trump claiming the island had been effectively demolished. He also called on allied nations to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, naming China, France, Japan, South Korea, and the UK in public social media posts. His comments represented the first public acknowledgment that reopening the strait — closed by Iran since February 28 — might require a multinational coalition effort rather than unilateral US action.
Iran responded to the escalating pressure not with retreat but with expansion. Ballistic missiles struck the UAE on Saturday, hitting near Fujairah’s major oil port and forcing a halt to loading operations. Iran’s military warned UAE residents near ports and US installations to evacuate and threatened strikes on any Gulf energy or economic facility with American ties. Iranian commanders continued firing rockets at Israel simultaneously, demonstrating the regime’s capacity to fight on multiple fronts despite weeks of sustained bombing.
At least 15 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a factory in Isfahan, Iran. Israel said its ongoing raids were designed to degrade Iran’s missile systems and weaken its security forces. The Israeli military conducted dozens of strikes across Iran on Saturday. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Iranian leaders were hiding underground and said Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei had been wounded. Iranian officials confirmed the injury but dismissed its severity. The International Crisis Group warned that Iran’s regime remained intact and was pursuing a deliberate strategy of prolonged conflict.
Casualties from the war were escalating rapidly. Between 1,400 and 1,800 Iranians had reportedly been killed. Thirteen Israelis and about 20 Gulf residents had also died. The US embassy in Baghdad was struck by missiles overnight, triggering an immediate evacuation advisory. Six American service members died in a military aircraft crash in Iraq. In Lebanon, more than 800 people had been killed and 850,000 displaced from Israeli strikes on Hezbollah. Oil prices were rising sharply and analysts warned of a potential jump to $150 per barrel if Kharg Island’s capacity were fully destroyed.