Donald Trump gestures to reporters, March 20, 2026 (Sky)

UPDATES: US-Israel War on Iran, Day 21 — Israelis Attack World’s Largest Gasfield

EA on TVP World: Ukraine, Europe, and the US-Israel War on Iran

US, Israel, and Iran: What Kind of War Is This Becoming?

With Tehran still controlling the Strait of Hormuz and carrying out retaliatory strikes, three American officials said the US military is deploying thousands of additional marines and sailors.

One official said the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer and the Marine Expeditionary Unit aboard are leaving the US about three weeks ahead of schedule. He did not give an indication of the mission.

“Four sources with knowledge of the issue” said that — despite his declaration yesterday, “I’m not putting troops anywhere” — Donald Trump is considering the use of troops to seize or blockade Kharg Island in the northern Persian Gulf, which handles more than 90% of Iran’s oil exports.

A “senior Administration official” said:

He wants Hormuz open. If he has to take Kharg Island to make it happen, that’s going to happen. If he decides to have a coastal invasion, that’s going to happen. But that decision hasn’t been made.

But Trump waved late Friday even as he blustered on Truth Social, “We are getting very close to meeting our objectives as we consider winding down our great Military efforts in the Middle East with respect to the Terrorist Regime of Iran.”

Earlier Friday, Trump insisted to reporters, “I don’t want to do a ceasefire. You know you don’t do a ceasefire when you’re literally obliterating the other side.”

In another sign of the Adminstration’s wavering amid the surge in global oil prices, it lifted sanctions on 140 million barrels of Iranian exports. The US Ambassador to the UN, Mike Waltz, declared the move was “very temporary”.

However, the step appeared to confirm Iran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz, through which around 25% of the world’s maritime oil supply and 20% of maritime gas pass.

Treasury Secetary Scott Bessent said earlier this week that the Administration was “fine” with Iranian, Chinese, and Indian ships moving through the waterway.

Iran has given permission for several Turkish, Indian, and Pakistani tankers. On Friday, Lloyd’s List said another vessel had paid Tehran $2 million for passage, without indicating under which nation’s flag it is sailing.

Trump Lashes Out at Former Allies

As the Administration signalled its inability for now to open the Strait, Trump lashed out at former allies. He ranted on social media:

Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER! They didn’t want to join the fight to stop a Nuclear Powered Iran. Now that fight is Militarily WON, with very little danger for them, they complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!

He said of Australia, without specifying the nature of the US request they had declined: “I was very surprised. Well, they should get involved, and I was a little bit surprised that they said no, because we always say yes to them.”

European countries have indicated that they will pursue a mission to maintain passage through the Strait but only after “de-escalation” of the war.