The Pentagon is moving a Marine expeditionary unit and more warships to the Middle East, as Iran steps up its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from Centcom for an element of an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit, typically consisting of several warships and 5,000 Marines, according to three U.S. officials.

President Trump said that it is unlikely Iranians will rise up soon against the regime and that he would “feel it in my bones” when the Iran war should end.

All six crew members aboard a KC-135 refueling aircraft that went down in western Iraq on Thursday have died, according to U.S. Central Command. Thirteen servicemembers have been killed in action during Operation Epic Fury, according to the military.

Iran has paralyzed tanker traffic in the Strait of Hormuz with escalating attacks on commercial vessels in the strait and surrounding bodies of water, including the Persian Gulf.

Two foreign tankers carrying Iraqi fuel were hit by projectiles late Wednesday night far from the strait, Iraqi ports officials said. Earlier that day, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps struck three cargo ships and warned any other vessels trying to move through the strait also would be targeted.

Israel announced it is continuing to target security forces in the capital of Iran, with the military claiming overnight strikes killed multiple soldiers operating at recently established checkpoints in Tehran.

“Strikes were carried out and several soldiers were killed during the night while operating at checkpoints recently set up in Tehran,” the Israeli military said in a statement.

“The comprehensive attacks are part of a phase aimed at dealing a deeper blow to the core structures and foundations of the Iranian terrorist regime,” the statement added.

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