Six U.S. airmen die in crash; 2,500 Marines being despatched to the Center East

[ad_1] WASHINGTON — Six American airmen deployed to operations in opposition to Iran had been killed after their refueling plane crashed in western Iraq, U.S. Central Command stated Friday, bringing the U.S. loss of life toll within the battle to 13, as Protection Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a deployment of Marines to the area forward of the heaviest day of strikes but.

The crash concerned two plane in “pleasant airspace,” the Pentagon stated, including that the opposite airplane landed safely. The downed KC-135 refueling tanker is the fourth U.S. plane to crash through the battle in opposition to Iran.

“American heroes, all of them,” Hegseth stated on the Pentagon on Friday. “We'll greet these heroes at Dover and their sacrifice will solely recommit us to the resolve of this mission.”

Central Command stated the incident is underneath investigation however was “not on account of hostile or pleasant hearth.”

The Protection secretary stated Friday would see Iran hammered with the heaviest spherical of airstrikes but seen within the two-week U.S.-Israeli operation that has razed buildings, complexes and manufacturing unit traces all throughout Iran, killing at the very least 1,348 civilians, in accordance with Iranian officers.

“No quarter, no mercy for our enemies,” Hegseth stated.

As Hegseth delivered his remarks, the united statesTripoli amphibious assault ship and a few 2,500 Marines ready to embark on a two-week journey from Japan to the Center East on his orders, the Related Press and different retailers reported.

The transfer will add further warships, troops and fighter jets to assist Marines already within the Center East.

The deployment comes amid media hypothesis that the U.S. could also be gathering troops for a floor invasion of the Iranian-held Kharg Island, the nation’s primary oil export outlet. President Trump advised Fox Information that the island is “not excessive on my checklist,” of battle priorities, however “I can change my thoughts in seconds.”

Later Friday, Trump posted on his social media web site that U.S. forces at his course had carried out bombing raids that “ totally obliterated each MILITARY goal” on Kharg Island, whereas leaving its oil infrastructure intact. However he threatened to “instantly rethink this determination” if Iran “or anybody else” interfered with ships passing by means of the Strait of Hormuz.

And whereas Hegseth insisted that preventing will stop when the U.S. destroys Iran’s naval, missile and nuclear weapons capabilities, the president’s public statements proceed to sow doubt that the White Home and Pentagon are aligned on the goals of the mission.

Requested Friday by Fox Information when the battle may finish, Trump stated, “Once I really feel it — really feel it in my bones.”

<source type="image/webp" srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/80c0d79/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/320x231!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/94e49b9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/568x409!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/fe3246c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/768x554!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/e2d045e/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/1024x738!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/4740bc9/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/1200x865!/format/webp/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 1200w" sizes="100vw"/> <img class="image" alt="A young Iranian man makes a wish as he blows out a candle while his friends clap" srcset="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/7d4b10c/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/320x231!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 320w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/04f7451/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/568x409!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 568w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/c051082/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/768x554!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 768w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/9b3c95d/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/1024x738!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 1024w,https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/870fc6f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/1200x865!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg 1200w" sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="865" src="https://ca-times.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/870fc6f/2147483647/strip/true/crop/5769x4160+0+0/resize/1200x865!/quality/75/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcalifornia-times-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F5b%2Fc0%2Fd1fde12a4dd1b2f379d706df6006%2Fgettyimages-2265853963.jpg" decoding="async" loading="lazy"/> A younger Iranian man makes a want as he blows out a candle whereas his buddies clap to congratulate him throughout a small celebration at a restaurant at night time in Tehran, Iran, on March 13, 2026, amid the united statesIsraeli navy marketing campaign.

(Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto through Getty Photos)

Through the briefing, Hegseth described the Iranian leaders as “determined” and “cowering” underground like rats. He stated Iran’s Supreme Chief Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei “is wounded and certain disfigured,” however gave no intelligence to assist the declare.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he rose to management, however issued his first public statement Thursday vowing retaliation in opposition to U.S. and Israeli assaults, promising that Tehran will proceed to choke off the world’s most vital oil route — the Strait of Hormuz.

“Our revenge will probably be by no means ending, not just for the late supreme chief, but in addition for the blood of all of our martyrs,” he stated.

Iran’s blockade of the strait stays Tehran’s foremost leverage in opposition to its Western adversaries, and a serious political bane for Trump . The Worldwide Power Company warned Thursday that the battle has created “the biggest provide disruption within the historical past of the worldwide oil market,” which has despatched oil costs surging 40% to $95 a barrel since Feb. 28.

Some 1,000 ships stay stranded within the Persian Gulf, lots of them vitality tankers which were unable to hold oil and gasoline shipments from the Center East to importers throughout the globe. Vessels which have tried to traverse the embattled channel have been destroyed in Iranian assaults. Hegseth described Tehran’s technique as “an act of desperation.”

The UK Maritime Commerce Operations on Friday reported 20 incidents affecting vessels working in and across the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman in March.

Transport disruptions have additionally precipitated extreme strains to international fertilizer provides, threatening to drive up prices for farmers and cut back crop yields through the spring planting season, Zippy Duvall, president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, wrote in a letter to Trump on Monday.

Over a 3rd of the worldwide fertilizer commerce strikes by means of the Strait of Hormuz, with costs for some important compounds already surging by as a lot as 35% to three-year highs.

“Not solely is that this a risk to our meals safety — and by extension our nationwide safety — such a manufacturing shock may contribute to inflationary pressures throughout the U.S. financial system,” Duvall wrote.

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(Roberto Schmidt / Getty Photos)

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, talking at a information convention Friday, acknowledged that the battle has affected the underside line for farmers, however stated “we anticipate that to resolve itself fairly rapidly.”

“Most of our farmers, not all, have really bought their fertilizer for planting season this 12 months, however about 25% haven't. In order that’s why we simply want to completely perceive the details in hand,” she stated.

Drone and missile assaults proceed to assail gulf states, threatening to attract extra gamers into the battle. Thick black smoke was seen rising over Dubai’s skyline Friday after particles from an intercepted Iranian drone strike precipitated a hearth and minor harm to a constructing throughout the Dubai Worldwide Monetary Heart, in accordance with the Dubai Media Workplace.

Europe has turn into more and more concerned too. U.S. long-range bombers have begun flying offensive missions from British air bases, whilst U.Okay. Prime Minister Keir Starmer explicitly permitted U.S. forces to make use of the bases “for defensive functions solely.” Starmer initially refused to cooperate in American hostilities in any capability, however modified his strategy after he drew criticism from Trump, who stated, “He’s no Winston Churchill.”

The U.Okay., France and Italy every deployed naval property to the japanese Mediterranean island of Cyprus, simply 125 miles from Lebanon, after Iranian drone strikes hit U.Okay. bases. The island has emerged as a strategic — and uncovered — nerve heart within the U.S. offensive in opposition to Iran.

In the meantime, Israel stated Friday that its strikes are “persevering with and intensifying” in Lebanon and Iran. The Israel Protection Forces issued new evacuation orders in southern Lebanon on Thursday after in a single day airstrikes in Beirut triggered retaliatory missile and drone assaults by the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah.

Eight civilians had been killed and 9 others had been wounded in assaults on the Lebanese metropolis of Sidon on Friday, in accordance with Lebanon’s Well being Ministry. Greater than 100 kids have been killed within the Israeli assault, the ministry stated.