Pentagon Sends Marine Expeditionary Unit To Middle East, Oil Spikes On Ground War Fears

Summary:

• Iran reportedly approves Indian government sending two liquefied petroleum tankers through Hormuz

• Japan-based USS Tripoli and its attached Marines headed toward Middle East

• WSJ says Pentagon sends Marine expeditionary unit to Middle East. Oil jumps higher

• Pentagon has just confirms two additional deaths in Thursday’s downing of a KC-135 refueling tanker aircraft over Western Iraq: all six US crewmembers are deceased.

• Trump and the Pentagon claim the US and Israel are “totally destroying” Iran as the war enters day 14, with Trump warning Tehran to “watch what happens” and “I am killing them” and “what a great honor it is to”

• Iran’s new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei is reportedly alive but wounded, “damaged,” and “disfigured”

• France and Italy open talks with Iran in hope of securing safe Hormuz Strait passage, FT reporting

• Hegseth briefing: US and Israel have hit more than 15,000 enemy targets since conflict began

• Several senior Iranian officials have been openly marching through the streets of Tehran today even amid smoke from US-Israeli bombing lingers in background.

• CENTCOM: four of six crew members aboard a US refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq have died. Active search and rescue operation underway 

• Strategic risks remain high as Iran reportedly begins laying mines in the Strait of Hormuz, though oil eased slightly after India said one tanker successfully exited the strait.

* * * 

Update(1105ET): Are we really doing this (again)? The WSJ is reporting a breaking bombshell which suggests US ground forces could be introduced, or else this could also be about securing other areas of the Gulf region:

The Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East, as Iran steps up its attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to two U.S. officials. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from U.S. Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East, for the expeditionary unit, typically consisting of up to 2,500 Marines, the officials said.

A follow-up update by WSJ appears to offer confirmation:

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from U.S. Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East, for an element of an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit, typically consisting of several warships and 5,000 Marines, the officials said.

The Japan-based USS Tripoli and its attached Marines are now headed for the Middle East, two of the officials said. Marines are already in the Middle East supporting the Iran operation, the officials said.

 The headline was enough to cause oil to immediately jump higher:

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President Trump and the Pentagon have claimed that the US and Israel are “totally destroying” Iran as the war enters day 14. Trump warned Iran to “watch what happens” in a social media post, claiming the United States is “totally destroying” the country militarily and economically as the conflict enters its second week.

Writing on Truth Social, Trump said: “We are totally destroying the terrorist regime of Iran, militarily, economically, and otherwise, yet, if you read the Failing New York Times, you would incorrectly think that we are not winning. Iran’s Navy is gone, their Air Force is no longer, missiles, drones and everything else are being decimated, and their leaders have been wiped from the face of the earth.”

He continued: “We have unparalleled firepower, unlimited ammunition, and plenty of time – Watch what happens to these deranged scumbags today. They’ve been killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years, and now I, as the 47th President of the United States of America, am killing them. What a great honor it is to do so!”

War Secretary Pete Hegseth meanwhile claimed Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, is wounded and disfigured. According to Reuters, Trump said he believes Khamenei is alive but “damaged.” He also spent a lot of time complaining about media coverage: “This is always what they do, hold the strait hostage. CNN doesn’t think we thought of that? It’s a fundamentally unserious report,” Hegseth said. “The sooner David Ellison takes over that network, the better.” Doubling down…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. and Israel have hit more than 15,000 enemy targets since the Iran conflict began and that the regime’s new supreme leader is likely wounded, as he doubled down on the war’s impact on Iranian military capabilities.

Mojtaba Khamenei – whose father, Ali Khamenei, was killed on the first day of the war after strikes by the United States and Israel – has not appeared publicly since being selected by a clerical assembly. His first comments were read on state television.

On the ground in Tehran, thousands gathered in Enqelab Square in a show of defiance as fighter jets roared overhead and multiple explosions shook the capital. Additional blasts were reported in the nearby city of Karaj.

According to Dropsite News journalist Jeremy Scahill: 

War Secretary Pete Hegseth just claimed that Iranian leaders have gone underground and are hiding, saying “that’s what rats do.” Meanwhile, several senior Iranian officials have been openly marching through the streets of Tehran today even as US-Israeli bombing continues.

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi:

Today is Quds Day in Iran, and despite the brutal attacks by the Zionist regime and the United States, millions of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and other cities, demonstrating their strong will and determination.

The… pic.twitter.com/GvRkfZw1HT

— Clash Report (@clashreport) March 13, 2026

Oil prices edged lower after India said one of its tankers had exited the Strait of Hormuz, raising hopes some shipping may resume. But CNN reports the Pentagon and the National Security Council significantly underestimated Iran’s willingness to shut the strait during planning for the operation.

On the battlefield, Israel said it launched a new “extensive wave” of strikes on Tehran while issuing evacuation orders, as attacks also intensified around Beirut. Meanwhile, Israeli media reported that 11 Iranian cluster missiles penetrated Israeli defenses, with one dispersing about 70 bomblets over central Israel.

WOW. Iran’s top national security official Ali Larijani is marching in Tehran today in broad daylight as part of Al Quds day pic.twitter.com/wlsH195zbj

— Ragıp Soylu (@ragipsoylu) March 13, 2026

In Oman, two people were killed after a drone was shot down in Sohar province, according to state media. Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted eight more drones over the kingdom, including near Riyadh.

United States Central Command said four of six crew members aboard a US refueling aircraft that crashed in Iraq have died. It has an active search and rescue operation underway 

NATO also confirmed it intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Iran toward Turkey the third such alleged interception since the war began. “NATO remains vigilant and stands firm in its defense of all allies,” NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said.

Ongoing evidence of severe damage in the heart of Tel Aviv and elsewhere in Israel:

זוהי המציאות של מה שקורה בישראל, מציאות שהעולם אינו רואה עקב יהירותה של ממשלת נתניהו והצנזורה הצבאית המחמירה המונעת את הפצת תמונות ההרס והנזק העצומים שנגרמו לתל אביב על ידי טילים איראניים.

באמצעות ניהול מלחמה נגד איראן, נתניהו וקבוצתו הקיצונית הפכו את תל אביב להעתק של רצועת עזה. pic.twitter.com/oC4cyckEWh

— إسحاق حمومي | יצחק אל-חמומי 🇮🇱 (@A_Ham96) March 12, 2026

As for the Lebanon front, during a visit to Beirut, Antonio Guterres urged Israel and Hezbollah to “stop the war.” He said “My strong appeal to those parties, to Hezbollah and to Israel, is for a ceasefire to stop the war and… allow Lebanon to become a country independent… where its authorities have the monopoly on use of force.” He added: “This is no longer the time of armed groups… This is the time of strong states.”

According to the Wall Street Journal, Israeli officials now believe Iran’s ruling system is unlikely to collapse soon, despite heavy strikes. US intel reports even before Trump ordered the war had forecast as much. Separately, the New York Times reported that Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz using thousands of small naval vessels.

Seriously? You think you’re going to retain any credibility by claiming that we prepared for months to use military force to clear the Strait of Hormuz, but now 13 days into a war with Iran after they closed it down and we still haven’t moved?

There’s no reality to this claim at… https://t.co/AbihaizDQ4

— Daniel Davis Deep Dive (@DanielLDavis1) March 12, 2026

As for European involvement, an Iranian Shahed drone strike in Iraq’s Erbil killed a French soldier, 42-year-old Arnaud Frion, and wounded several others, according to French military officials. Germany also signaled it will not join naval protection efforts in the Strait of Hormuz. Chancellor Friedrich Merz said during a visit to Norway: “Germany is not part of this war and we do not want to become part of it.”