Summary:
- Five US Air Force refueling planes were struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia: WSJ
Over 3 million people forcibly displaced by US-Israeli war on Iran: UN
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(1955): Things are not OK in the Gulf. Below is a fresh Wall Street Journal update:
Five U.S. Air Force refueling planes were struck and damaged on the ground at Prince Sultan air base in Saudi Arabia, according to two U.S. officials.
The tankers were hit during an Iranian missile strike on the Saudi base in recent days, the officials said. U.S. Central Command declined to comment. The tankers were damaged but not fully destroyed and are being repaired, one of the officials said. No one was killed in the strikes.
The news brings the total number of Air Force refueling planes damaged or destroyed to at least seven.
Update(1715ET): As was reported earlier this afternoon, the Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit and additional warships to the Middle East, which strongly points to the Iran war escalating and not de-escalating, for the time being at least.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth approved a request from US Central Command for elements of an amphibious ready group and its attached Marine expeditionary unit - typically several warships carrying roughly 5,000 Marines and sailors, as reported in The Wall Street Journal. The reality is that 5,000 Marines still isn't exactly an invasion force - especially for a country the size of Iran.
Most directly, this seems a response to Iran intensifying attacks around the critical Hormuz Strait shipping lane, but any Marine detachment of this size certainly raises the prospect of deepening involvement, potentially 'on the ground' or on shore at least to some extent.
President Trump and admin officials have repeatedly downplayed a 'ground war'. Rejecting ground forces was articulated from day one - but it seems each day has brought some WH variety of a no options off the table response, or more of an open-endedness in terms of timeline. The big question remains, and also something global markets are closely watching is... what's the plan for offramp or achievable 'victory' here? Coupled with that of course is how long?
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