The U.S. military is deploying thousands more Marines to the Middle East, officials said in a statement on Friday, March 20, as President Donald Trump accused the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) allies of cowardice over their reluctance to send forces to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
The narrow waterway, conduit for around a fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas supplies, has been effectively closed to most shipping since the United States and Israel launched the war against Iran almost three weeks ago.
With a major share of global oil and natural gas supply choked off and vital energy infrastructure in both Iran and neighbouring Gulf states under attack, oil prices have jumped about 50% since the start of the war on February 28, threatening a global economic shock.
More than 2,000 people have been killed, most in Iran and Lebanon, while Americans, facing sharply higher prices and wary of military entanglement, appear increasingly concerned at signs the war could expand further.
On Friday, March 20, Israel’s military said it carried out two large waves of air strikes on Tehran and central Iran, targeting weapons production facilities and sites storing ballistic missile launchers and components.
Israel faced multiple waves of missile attacks from Iran, according to the Israeli military, triggering air raid sirens in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, where explosions from interceptions were heard.
Fragments from an Iranian missile struck Jerusalem on Friday, the military said, landing just outside the Old City, which is sacred to Christians, Jews and Muslims, according to a photograph released by the police. There were no reports of injuries or casualties.
Kuwait’s state oil firm said its Mina Al-Ahmadi refinery had suffered multiple drone attacks that set some units alight, the latest energy facility hit by Iran in recent days.
