US Deploys Thousands More Marines to Middle East Amid War with Iran

Unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters that the U.S. military has deployed thousands more Marines to the Middle East.

The deployment comes nearly three weeks into the U.S.-Israel war against Iran, which began on February 28. The Strait of Hormuz, a passage for about one-fifth of the world's oil and liquefied natural gas, has been practically closed to most ships. Vital energy infrastructure in Iran and neighboring Gulf countries has been attacked, driving oil prices up about 50 percent and raising fears of a global economic shock.

President Donald Trump accused NATO allies of cowardice for refusing to send forces to help reopen the strait. The Trump administration announced it will lift sanctions on Iran to allow the sale of 140 million barrels of oil stuck in tankers since the war began. The administration had previously eased sanctions on a similar amount of Russian oil.

More than 2,000 people, mostly in Iran and Lebanon, have been killed in the conflict. A Reuters poll showed nearly two-thirds of Americans believe Trump will order a large-scale ground war, with only 7 percent supporting such action.

On Friday, the Israeli army announced it carried out two large waves of airstrikes on Tehran and central Iran, targeting weapons production facilities, ballistic missile storage sites and components. Iran responded with multiple waves of missile attacks, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, with explosions from interceptions heard.

Israeli police published a photo of missile debris, stating parts of an Iranian missile struck near Jerusalem or Bethlehem, just outside the Old City. No injuries or casualties were reported.