United States sailors and marines aboard the amphibious assault USS Tripoli have arrived in the Middle East, the Central Command announced on Saturday.
The ship, which serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, carries about 3,500 troops as well as transport and fighter aircraft.
The arrival of the group bolsters the U.S. military’s positioning in the region as Washington considers a ground operation in and around Iran’s main oil export hub, and the Hormuz Strait
The U.S. seeks to secure Iran’s nuclear material, mulls Kharg Island’s seizure, invasion of Larak Island (near Hormuz), control of Abu Musa/nearby islands, and more strikes on nuclear/energy sites.
Meanwhile, Yemen’s Houthi forces have joined the Iran war, announcing that they carried out their first operation using ballistic missiles against Israeli military targets.
“Our operations will continue until the declared goals are achieved,” a spokesperson vowed on Saturday. “We will continue until the aggression stops on all fronts.”
Iran, however, continued its retaliatory actions against Gulf nations over the weekend. Oman’s Port of Salalah was impacted by two drones, injuring a worker and damaging a crane.
Kuwait said its international airport was hit by multiple drones, impairing its radar systems, while Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed Iranian strikes impacted its Al Taweelah facility in Abu Dhabi.
President Masoud Pezeshkian declared it was unfortunate that “the territories of some Muslim countries” are being used to attack Iran, saying Israel intends to expand the war to regional countries.
The leader said Iran has been “attacked twice during negotiations,” adding that the “bombing infrastructure and assassinating Iranian figures show that the aggressors cannot be trusted.”
Pezeshkian’s comments followed Israel’s latest strikes on two nuclear-related facilities inside Iran, a heavy-water production plant in Khondab and the yellowcake production site in Ardakan
Russia reacted to the attack on Saturday, accusing Tehran’s adversaries of raising the stakes in the war “despite related risks, including a threat of large-scale radioactive contamination.”
Urging the IAEA to speak out about the “grave threat,” Moscow said the attacks violated international law and deserved unequivocal and strong condemnation by the international community.
