U.S. Orders 2,500 Marines And An Amphibious Assault Ship To Mideast After Almost 2 Weeks Of War

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — The American military has ordered 2,500 Marines and an amphibious assault ship to the Middle East, a major addition to forces in the region, a U.S. official said Friday. Almost two weeks of war with Iran.

Meanwhile, in Iran’s capital, a massive explosion ripped through the central square, where thousands of people had gathered for an annual state-organised rally in support of the Palestinians and calling for the destruction of Israel. there was israel He warned that he could target the region In the center of Tehran.

No casualties were reported. But the decision to go ahead with the mass demonstration, attended by some senior government officials, and Israel’s threat to target the region underlined the fierce determination of both sides in a war that has shaken the global economy and shows no signs of letting up.

Iran continued to launch widespread missile and drone attacks against Israel and neighboring Gulf states, effectively shutting down Israel. Strait of HormuzEven as US and Israeli warplanes hit military and other targets in Iran, a fifth of the world’s oil trade passes through here.

The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has deepened; Nearly 800 people lost their lives and 850,000 people were displaced Israel has launched waves of attacks against Iranian-backed Hezbollah militants and warned that it will not give up.

US President Donald Trump said in an interview with Fox News that the war will end “when I feel it in my bones.” He was also more cautious about the possibility of dissidents overthrowing the Islamic government.

“So I think this is a big hurdle to overcome for people who really don’t have guns,” Trump said, referring to Iran’s statement. paramilitary Basij The force that has played a central role in suppressing recent nationwide protests.

Elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have been ordered to the Middle East, according to a U.S. official who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military plans.

Marine Expeditionary Units can conduct amphibious landings but also specialize in enhancing security at embassies, evacuating civilians, and disaster relief. Deployment does not necessarily mean that a ground operation is imminent or will occur.

The new Navy deployment was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Tripoli, and other amphibious assault ships carrying Marines are based in Japan and have been in the Pacific Ocean for several days, according to images released by the military. Tripoli was detected by commercial satellites sailing alone near Taiwan, indicating that Tripoli was more than a week away from waters off the coast of Iran.

At the start of the week, the Navy had 12 ships operating in the Arabian Sea, including the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln and eight destroyers. If Tripoli joins this fleet, it will be the second largest ship in the region after Lincoln.

Although the total number of US soldiers serving in the Middle East is not clear, Al-Udeid Air Base, the largest air base in the region, hosts approximately 8,000 US soldiers alone.

The explosion in Tehran shook the Ferdowsi Square area at noon, where thousands of people gathered at the annual Quds Day rally chanting “Death to Israel” and “Death to America”.

Shortly before the explosion, Israel had issued a warning on the Persian X account for people to clear the area. But few Iranians could see it because authorities had almost completely shut down the internet. In the footage, people were seen chanting “Allah is the greatest” while smoke was rising from the area.

The Israeli military later released a second message in Persian, stating that the head of Iran’s judiciary was at the rally and criticizing Iran for preventing many people from seeing its warnings.

The hard-line Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, who heads the Iranian judiciary, was giving an interview on state television at the demonstration when the strike took place. His bodyguards surrounded him as he raised his fist and said Iran “will never withdraw missiles under this rain.”

Israel previously announced a new wave of attacks targeting infrastructure in Iran, saying its air force had hit more than 200 targets in the past 24 hours, including missile launchers, defense systems and weapons production facilities.

In Washington, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said more than 15,000 enemy targets had been hit; this number had been more than 1,000 per day since the start of the war.

He also sought to allay concerns about bottling in the Strait of Hormuz, telling reporters: “We’re taking care of it and we don’t need to worry about it.”

The U.S. military confirmed Friday that all six crew members belonged to an American. KC-135 refueling aircraft The death toll when it crashed in Iraq brought the US death toll to at least 13.

U.S. Central Command said the crash was not related to friendly or enemy fire and that two planes were involved, including one that landed safely.

KC-135 became the fourth aircraft publicly reported to have crashed within the scope of the US military’s operations against Iran. Last week three American warplanes accidentally dropped with friendly Kuwaiti fire.

Iran continues its attacks every day oil and other infrastructure Along the bay. According to Oman News Agency, two people died when two drones crashed in Sohar region in Oman.

The U.S. Navy destroyer USS Oscar Austin shot down an Iranian ballistic missile over Türkiye on Friday, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity to discuss ongoing military operations. It was the third such intervention against the NATO member in the past two weeks.

Residents of the southern Turkish city of Adana reported hearing a loud explosion and sirens at Incirlik Air Base, which is used by US forces.

An Israeli attack in southern Lebanon hit a health center in the village of Burj Qalaouiyah, killing 12 doctors, paramedics and nurses, the Lebanese Ministry of Health said in a statement early on Saturday. It was stated that rescue teams were searching for more victims.

At least eight people were killed in an earlier attack on the southern coastal city of Sidon, the ministry said on Friday.

The ministry said 773 people, including more than 100 children and 18 healthcare workers, have been killed since clashes broke out 10 days ago between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah militants. It was stated that more than 1,900 people were injured.

Nearly 850,000 people are internally displaced in Lebanon, according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, who appealed for $325 million in humanitarian aid during a surprise visit to the country.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam called on Israel to stop attacks on his country and criticized Hezbollah for firing rockets at Israeli targets.

“There is no justification for holding an entire nation hostage,” he said.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz had previously said the attacks were “just the beginning”.

The rises were reported from Bangkok. Toropin reported from Washington and Corder from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press writers Sally Abou AlJoud, Kareem Chehayeb and Bassem Mroue are in Beirut; Sam Mednick in Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tia Goldenberg in Washington contributed to this story.