As the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran moved into its 14th day, six U.S. aircraft crew members were killed in a crash, the Pentagon reportedly ordered roughly 2,500 additional Marines to the region, and Israel threatened to do to Lebanon what it has done to Gaza.
US destroyed every military target on Iran’s Kharg Island, Trump says
President Donald Trump announced March 13 that he had directed U.S. forces to carry out one of the most “powerful” bombing raids on Iran’s Kharg Island. He said the U.S. “obliterated” every military target on the island, which is located in the Persian Gulf and serves as one of Iran’s main oil export outposts. Trump added that U.S. forces spared the island’s oil infrastructure for “reasons of decency,” but warned if Iran “or anyone else” does “anything to interfere with the Free and Safe Passage of Ships through the Strait of Hormuz, I will immediately reconsider this decision.” Read more from FOX News here.
Six more Americans killed in Iran war, bringing US death toll to 13
Six American crew members aboard a U.S. military refueling aircraft died when the plane crashed in western Iraq the afternoon of March 12, the U.S. Central Command confirmed March 13. The military said the incident is being investigated, but the “loss of the aircraft was not due to hostile fire or friendly fire.” The crash brings the death toll of U.S. personnel killed during the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran to 13, after seven members died in Iran’s retaliatory strikes on U.S. bases in the region. Read more from the New York Post here.
Israel threatens Gaza-level devastation in Lebanon
On March 13, amid ongoing clashes with Iran-backed Hezbollah militants, Israel warned it would carry out more attacks in Lebanon. Israeli forces destroyed a bridge in southern Lebanon and dropped flyers over Beirut threatening to inflict Gaza-scale devastation. One flyer said, “In light of the great success in Gaza, the newspaper of the new reality arrives to Lebanon.” Read more from Reuters here.
US military sending more troops
The Pentagon is reportedly sending the USS Tripoli, a Marine Amphibious Ready Group, and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, deploying roughly 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors. It will take one to two weeks for the Japan-based Tripoli and its group to join other U.S. assets already in the Middle East. Read more from Breitbart here.
Hegseth calls Day 14 the heaviest day of kinetic strikes, offers latest updates on war
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told reporters the morning of March 13 that the day would bring “the highest volume of strikes” over Iran. He said Trump “holds the cards” and will determine “the pace, the tempo, and the timing of this conflict.” Hegseth and Gen. Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, also acknowledged that the Strait of Hormuz is too vulnerable to Iranian forces for the U.S. Navy to offer escorts to oil tankers.
Meanwhile, Iran’s missile volume has dropped by about 90%, and its attacks using one-way drones have fallen 95%, according to Hegseth. The secretary also said Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei – who reportedly issued a written statement March 12 about the war – was “wounded and likely disfigured.” Read more from FOX News here.
Trump’s latest comments
Speaking on FOX News host Brian Kilmeade’s podcast, Trump said the U.S. military operation in Iran will end when he can “feel it in my bones.” He added that he doesn’t “think it’s going to be long” and “when it’s over, [the economy] is going to bounce back so fast.” Trump also told Kilmeade that he thinks Russian President Vladimir Putin may be helping Iran “a little bit” in the conflict. Read more from The Hill here.
US eases sanctions on Russia oil amid price spike
The U.S. is temporarily lifting sanctions on certain Russian oil shipments currently stranded at sea, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced late March 12. The move comes amid surging global energy prices because of the war with Iran. The exemptions will be in place until April 11. Read more from the New York Post here.
Explosions reported near protest in Tehran
A large explosion was reported March 13 in Iran’s capital, where thousands had gathered for an annual state-organized Quds Day rally. The protestors reportedly chanted “death to Israel” and “death to America.” Shortly before the blast, Israel had issued a warning on a Farsi-language social media account urging people to leave the area. No casualties were reported. Read more from AP News here.