More American forces are reaching the Middle East, with a Navy ship carrying about 2,500 Marines having now arrived in the region, U.S. Central Command announced Saturday.
President Donald Trump walks up the stairs of Air Force One at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Friday, March 27, 2026. WASHINGTON — The number of American service members wounded in the Iran war has grown beyond 300, with more than two dozen troops injured this week from attacks on a Saudi air base.
Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base in an attack Friday that injured at least 15 troops, including five seriously, according to two people briefed on the matter. U.S. officials initially reported that at least 10 U.S. troops were injured, including two who were seriously wounded. More American forces are reaching the Middle East, with a Navy ship carrying about 2,500 Marines having now arrived in the region, U.S. Central Command announced Saturday. The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship, as well as the elements from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit that are aboard, are based in Japan. They were conducting exercises in the area around Taiwan when the order came to deploy to the Middle East almost two weeks ago. Central Command said that in addition to the Marines, the Tripoli also brings transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault assets to the region. The USS Boxer and two other ships, along with another Marine Expeditionary Unit, have also been ordered to the region from San Diego. Before the arrival of the Marines, the U.S. military had already built up the largest American force in the region in more than 20 years, including two aircraft carriers, several other warships and some 50,000 troops. The USS Gerald R Ford, the nation’s newest aircraft carrier, recently left the Middle East for repairs and supplies in Europe after a fire in a laundry room that affected some of the ship’s sleeping quarters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday the United States can meet its objectives “without any ground troops.” But he also said Trump “has to be prepared for multiple contingencies” and that American forces are available “to give the president maximum optionality and maximum, opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.” The Saudi base had come under come attack twice earlier in week, including an incident that injured 14 U.S. troops, according to the people, who were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity. In the other attack, no one was injured but a U.S. aircraft was damaged.The base, which is about 60 miles from the Saudi capital of Riyadh, is run by the Royal Saudi Air Force, but also used by U.S. troops. The installation has been targeted almost since the beginning of the war, which on Saturday reached the one-month mark. Army Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, was wounded during a March 1 attack on the base and died days later. He is one of the 13 service members who have been killed in the war. Six of the fallen were killed when an Iranian drone struck an operations center at a civilian port in Kuwait. Another six died when their refueling plane crashed in Iraq following an incident with another aircraft that the U.S. military said was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.” The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Saturday regarding the American casualties at the Saudi base. Central Command said Friday that more than 300 service members have been wounded in the war. Most have returned to duty, while 30 remained out of action and 10 were considered seriously wounded.Iran has responded to attacks by the United States and Israel with strikes against Israel and neighboring Gulf Arab states. The war has upended global air travel, disrupted oil exports and caused fuel prices to soar. Iran’s stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway, has exacerbated the economic fallout. With the economic repercussions extending far beyond the Middle East, President Donald Trump is under growing pressure to end Iran’s chokehold on the strait. The latest attacks on the Saudi air base happened after Trump claimed talks on ending the war were going “very well.” Trump said he had given Tehran until April 6 to reopen the strait. Iran says it has not engaged in any negotiations. James Jeffrey, who served as a deputy national security adviser to President George W. Bush, said the relatively small number of American deaths and injuries “says great things about our operational and tactical-level use of the military.” “It’s amazing how low the casualties have been, given the amount of stuff that the Iranians have fired,” said Jeffrey, who is now a scholar at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.But Jeffrey said the Islamic Republic’s overall goal is not killing American service members. It’s inflicting economic pain on U.S. allies and the world. “We have not stopped Iran from its campaign against the Gulf,” said Jeffrey, who was U.S. ambassador to Iraq under Bush and a special envoy for Syria in the first Trump administration. “We have not eliminated all of their missiles. And of course, they still have the 400-plus kilograms of highly enriched uranium. It’s buried, but still it’s there.”Open & Shut: Anchorage gets new eateries — Polynesian, Mexican and American with global twists — as well as a game board cafe and a cannabis shop6 Alaska high school track and field athletes to watch, plus top Big C Relays performances
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Iranian American women in Los Angeles discuss fight for equality long before war, airstrikes beganLong before the U.S.-Israeli air strikes began in the Middle East, there had been a battle inside Iran, waged and led largely by women.
Read more »
U.S. Mourns Soldier Killed in Iranian Attack; Tensions in Middle East EscalateA U.S. Army sergeant was killed in an Iranian attack on a Saudi Arabian air base, prompting a solemn ceremony at Dover Air Force Base. The incident comes amid rising tensions in the Middle East, with at least 10 U.S. service members injured in the attack. Former President Trump addressed the situation, and the U.S. military presence continues to be involved in the region. Other unrelated incidents, including legal cases and school district actions, are also reported.
Read more »
Iranian attack on Saudi base causes American casualties. More US forces arrive in the Middle EastThe number of Americans wounded in the Iran war has grown beyond 300, with more than two dozen troops injured this week from attacks on a Saudi air base.
Read more »
Iranian attack on Saudi base cause American casualtiesThe number of Americans wounded in the Iran war has grown beyond 300, with more than two dozen troops injured this week from attacks on a Saudi air base. Iran fired six ballistic missiles and 29 drones at Saudi Arabia’s Prince Sultan air base in an attack Friday that injured at least 15 troops, including five seriously.
Read more »
Escalating Conflict in the Middle East: U.S. Casualties Rise Amidst Iranian AttacksThe Iran war intensifies with increased attacks on U.S. forces and a growing number of American casualties. A recent strike on a Saudi air base injured dozens of troops, prompting the deployment of additional U.S. forces to the region. The conflict's economic repercussions, including disruptions to global trade and soaring fuel prices, add pressure on President Trump to de-escalate the situation.
Read more »
Iran War Forces Energy-Saving in East Asia, Middle East: ‘Imminent Danger’Some countries are rolling out energy-saving measures as the Iran war disrupts global oil and gas supplies.
Read more »