Trump weighs deploying up to 10,000 more troops to Middle East during war with Iran: report

The Israeli Defense Forces said on Saturday more than 50 Israeli Air Force fighter jets participated in strikes on Iranian regime infrastructure across three areas in Iran.

The strikes hit a facility used to produce various weapons, a site used to develop and produce advanced explosive devices, and a site used to produce components for ballistic missiles and anti-aircraft missiles, among other areas, according to the IDF.

"The strikes on these sites and facilities constitute a combined degradation to the regime’s production capabilities, both in its ballistic missile program and its nuclear weapons program," the force said. "The IDF continues to operate against the regime’s military industries in order to degrade the production capabilities it has built over many years."

Abu Dhabi authorities responded to two fires early Saturday that they said were caused by falling debris after intercepting a ballistic missile, leaving multiple people injured.

The debris fell in the Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi area, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said.

Five people sustained minor to moderate injuries, officials said.

Mainstream media outlets reportedly used the phrase "war crime" nearly three dozen times in the first three weeks of the Iran conflict, but 88% of that usage was directed toward the U.S. or Israel, according to an analysis released by a U.S.-based, Mideast-focused media watchdog.

CAMERA, the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting and Analysis, and its research manager, David Litman, released a study Wednesday counting 32 uses of the term "war crime" from the BBC, CNN, NBC News, The New York Times and The Washington Post.

In his review, Litman asked readers to consider how the term "war crime" has been applied in reporting on the conflict, noting that simple internet searches return usages "almost exclusively" against the U.S. and Israel.

"CAMERA found 32 total applications of the phrase ‘war crime’ during the first three weeks of the war (Feb. 28-Mar. 21). Of those, 28 (88 percent) were directed solely toward the actions of the United States and/or Israel," Litman wrote on CAMERA’s website.

"Zero were directed solely toward the actions of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Four (12 percent) were unattributed or directed at both sides."

CAMERA found nearly all references stemmed from an airstrike early in the conflict that allegedly destroyed a school in Minab, Iran. The Pentagon is continuing to investigate the incident, according to CAMERA.

Fox News Digital reached out to communications officials at CNN, the BBC, The Washington Post, The New York Times and NBC News for comment.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz.

The Israel Defense Forces said early Saturday it identified a missile launch from Yemen, marking the first such launch since the war with Iran erupted.

The Israeli military said its defense systems intercepted the threat.

The launch comes after Houthi forces warned Friday they could enter the conflict if the Red Sea is used for attacks on Iran, Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported.

President Donald Trump on Friday signaled a shift away from the war with Iran after apparent positive negotiations this week and the administration's capture of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro, saying "Cuba is next."

While speaking in Florida at the Future Investment Initiative (FII) Institute Summit at the Faena Forum in Miami Beach, Trump said even though he campaigned on peace through strength, sometimes force is necessary.

"And Cuba is next, by the way. But pretend I didn't say that," Trump said. "Please, please, please media, please disregard that statement. Thank you very much — Cuba's next."

He added that he thought NATO's absence in negotiations with Iran was a "tremendous mistake."

"They just weren't there," he said. "It's going to make a lot of money for the United States because we spent hundreds of billions of dollars a year on NATO, hundreds of protecting them. And we would have always been there for them. But now, based on their actions, I guess we don't have to be, do we?"

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch.

President Donald Trump on Friday predicted the U.S. economy would surge once the war with Iran ends.

“When this war ends, it's going to be like a rocket ship,” Trump said during a speech at the FII Priority Summit, adding that “we won't have that dark cloud hanging over our head.”

The president said the economy would benefit from Iran no longer pursuing nuclear weapons.

Trump also said he expected oil prices to rise and stocks to fall further during the ongoing conflict, adding, “It hasn't been that bad.”

The State Department has continued to update its travel advisories as the conflict with Iran and adversarial relationships with other nations continue to play out across the world.

Americans traveling abroad could be targets for arbitrary arrests or attacks, the agency has warned.

In its interactive world map, the agency has branded several Middle Eastern countries as unsafe for Americans to travel to. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kuwait and Bahrain have moved from Level 2 to Level 3 advisories, meaning Americans should exercise caution or reconsider their travels to those locations altogether, the New York Post first reported.

Iran has been branded a "Level 4: Do Not Travel" destination, with Americans facing risks of wrongful detention, violence and kidnapping amid the unrest there.

Last week, the State Department issued a worldwide security alert warning Americans to be cautious about threats from groups linked to Iran.

"From now on, based on the information we have about you, even parks, recreational areas and tourist destinations anywhere in the world will no longer be safe for you," Iranian Brigadier General Abolfazl Shekarchi warned Americans and Israelis on Iranian state television.

Countries with a Level 4 warning ("Do Not Travel") include Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq, Libya, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Ukraine and Yemen.  

The U.S. may not have a consular presence in those nations, and U.S. citizens there could have difficulty accessing services. Russia, in particular, has been known to wrongfully detain Americans for years.

Countries with a Level 3 advisory — meaning Americans should reconsider travel — include Bahrain, Colombia, Honduras, Israel, Nicaragua, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela.

Countries where Americans should exercise increased caution (Level 2) include Cuba, the Dominican Republic, France, Greenland, Italy, Mexico and the United Kingdom.

Parts of Mexico have been designated as Level 4 zones, including Sinaloa and Colima, while other states like Jalisco and Baja California are designated Level 3 due to cartel activity. 

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano.

Houthi forces warned they could enter the conflict if the Red Sea is used for attacks on Iran, raising concerns about a broader regional war, Fox News chief national security correspondent Jennifer Griffin reported Friday on 'Special Report.'

The warning comes as the U.S. weighs deploying up to 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East, a move that could take at least two weeks, according to officials.

The forces could be used to seize territory, secure airfields or assist in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a mission current and former military commanders say carries significant risk.

More than 40,000 U.S. service members are already stationed at bases in the region that have come under repeated missile and drone attacks, forcing some personnel to relocate to civilian housing.

While U.S. forces have destroyed 92% of Iran’s large naval vessels, officials warn smaller, agile boats capable of laying mines and launching attacks still pose a serious threat to ships passing through the strategic waterway.

Fox News' Jennifer Griffin contributed to this reporting.

Russia’s foreign minister discussed the possibility of a diplomatic settlement in the Iran war with his Iranian counterpart on Friday, according to Reuters.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Iran’s Abbas Araqchi held talks on shifting the conflict toward a “political-diplomatic settlement” based on international law, Russia’s foreign ministry said.

The discussion comes as fighting continues across the region and amid growing international pressure to de-escalate the conflict.

Reuters also reported that Western officials have accused Moscow of supporting Tehran militarily, including providing satellite imagery and assisting with drone upgrades.

Russia and Iran maintain a strategic partnership but without a formal mutual defense pact.

President Donald Trump is urging Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, arguing the war with Iran is reshaping the Middle East and creating a new opportunity for regional normalization.

Speaking at a conference in Miami, Trump said the region is being “transformed” by the conflict and “the future… has never been brighter,” according to the Times of Israel.

“I hope you’re going to be getting into the Abraham Accords finally,” Trump said, calling on Saudi officials to move forward with joining the agreement.

Trump suggested Iran’s weakening position has removed a key obstacle to normalization, saying, “It’s now time… we’ve now taken them out.”

He also referenced past conversations with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, describing repeated delays in Riyadh’s decision to join the accords.

The Abraham Accords, first brokered during Trump’s previous administration, normalized relations between Israel and several Arab nations, though Saudi Arabia has yet to formally join.

Israel has destroyed or severely damaged the majority of Iran’s missile launchers as it intensifies strikes on underground tunnel systems, according to a report in the Jerusalem Post.

Of roughly 470 launchers, fewer than 180 — about 40% — remain operational, while the rest have been taken out or disabled in airstrikes, the report said.

Israeli officials say Iran’s ability to fire missiles has been degraded, with the regime struggling to meet its earlier goal of launching 100 missiles per day due to coordination issues and a shrinking number of working launchers.

The report also cited growing difficulties among Iranian forces operating the systems, including signs of dissent among launch crews.

Israeli operations have focused on locating launchers hidden in extensive tunnel networks, using precision strikes to target sites buried underground, though officials say the terrain continues to complicate detection and response efforts.

The campaign is part of Israel’s broader push to dismantle Iran’s missile capabilities under Operation Roaring Lion.

U.S. officials and analysts are weighing whether seizing Iran’s main oil export hub could deal a crippling financial blow — but experts warn the high-risk move may not shut off Tehran’s revenue as quickly or completely as expected.

Analysts say U.S. planners face a high-stakes decision: whether seizing Kharg Island would actually disrupt Iran’s oil revenue or leave key export flows intact while exposing American forces to sustained attack. Options under discussion range from interdicting tankers at sea to striking export infrastructure from the air, approaches some argue could pressure Tehran’s finances without putting troops on the ground.

"There’s a big debate going on right now," R.P. Newman, Marine veteran and counterterrorism analyst, told Fox News Digital. 

Kharg Island handles the vast majority of Iran’s crude oil exports, making it one of the most strategically significant energy nodes in the region and a central pressure point for any effort to economically squeeze Tehran.

"We certainly have the ability, military wise, to take it," said R.P. Newman, a Marine veteran and counter-terrorism analyst. 

Some analysts argue that taking Kharg could deliver an immediate economic shock, cutting off the regime’s primary source of oil revenue and potentially giving Washington leverage in broader negotiations. 

But such an operation would not be simple.

"It would take thousands to do that," he said.

U.S. forces already have struck the island hitting more than 90 Iranian military targets, including missile and naval mine facilities, earlier in March while deliberately avoiding oil infrastructure, leaving export operations largely intact.

Retired Adm. Kevin Donegan, former commander of the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, said the same objective could be achieved without putting U.S. forces on the island.

"You could achieve that desired outcome just by constraining the flow that comes out of Kharg after it gets outside the Gulf," Donegan said.

"You could stop every ship that comes out," he added.

Robbins said the U.S. could also disable Kharg’s export capability with air power rather than seizing it outright.

An influx of thousands of troops from Marine expeditionary units and the Army's 82nd airborne division has raised speculation that a ground operation could be on the way. 

But Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday U.S. operations could wrap in "weeks, not months" and without ground troops. 

"We are ahead of schedule on most of (the objectives), and we can achieve them without any ground troops, without any," Rubio told reporters during a trip to Paris for a meeting of G-7 foreign ministers.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips.

President Donald Trump said Friday the Middle East is “closer than ever” to being free from Iran as U.S. operations against the regime intensify.

Speaking in Miami, Trump said the U.S. is “decimating Iran’s capabilities” through Operation Epic Fury and moving toward ending what he described as years of “terror, aggression and nuclear blackmail.”

“We’re closer than ever to the rise of the Middle East that is finally free at last from Iranian terror,” Trump said.

He also claimed Iran is seeking negotiations amid continued strikes.

“They’re being hit so hard… they’re begging to make a deal,” Trump said.

Trump added that any agreement would require Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, briefly jokingly referring to it as the “Strait of Trump” before correcting himself.

Russia is sending upgraded drones to Iran, including advanced versions of designs originally supplied by Tehran during the war in Ukraine, U.S. and European officials told The Associated Press.

The drones include improvements developed by Russia on the battlefield, such as enhanced navigation systems and anti-jamming capabilities, according to the report.

Officials said it is unclear how many drones are being transferred or whether the shipment is part of a broader series, but intelligence suggests discussions between Moscow and Tehran have intensified in recent weeks.

The move comes as Iran continues launching drone attacks across the Middle East following U.S. and Israeli strikes, raising concerns that more advanced systems could make interception more difficult.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that Russian support for Iran has not impacted U.S. operations, despite the growing cooperation between the two countries.

The United States and Iraq have agreed to step up security coordination while working to keep Iraq out of the expanding war with Iran.

In a statement shared on X, the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said both sides established a High Joint Coordination Committee and agreed to intensify efforts to prevent terrorist attacks and ensure Iraqi territory is not used as a launch point for attacks against Iraq, U.S. personnel or neighboring countries.

Officials emphasized their shared goal of keeping Iraq “outside the scope of the ongoing military conflict in the region,” while respecting the country’s sovereignty.

The two sides also reaffirmed their commitment to counterterrorism cooperation, with an emphasis on Iraqi-led efforts to maintain stability and protect key infrastructure.

The move comes as tensions escalate across the Middle East, raising concerns about the conflict spilling into additional countries.

The U.S. Navy is deploying unmanned boats capable of surveillance and potential strikes as part of operations in the Middle East, according to a Reuters report cited by Stars and Stripes.

The vessels, known as Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Craft (GARC), have logged more than 450 hours at sea and traveled over 2,200 nautical miles during patrols, a U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) spokesperson said.

The high-speed drone boats can carry payloads of up to 1,000 pounds and are designed for missions ranging from intelligence gathering to mine detection and targeting support.

Their deployment comes as the U.S. looks for ways to secure key waterways, including the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran has targeted ships with missiles and drones.

It is not clear whether the unmanned vessels have been used in direct strikes, but officials say they are part of a broader push to expand drone warfare capabilities in the region.

Saudi Arabia and other Gulf allies are showing signs of a quiet but consequential shift in their posture toward Iran, as escalating attacks across the region are testing years of careful balancing between Washington and Tehran.

For much of the past decade, countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) sought to avoid direct confrontation with Iran, maintaining diplomatic and economic ties even while relying on U.S. military backing. But that middle ground is increasingly under strain.

That strategy was designed to keep Gulf states out of direct confrontation. But officials and analysts say Iran’s expanding attacks are narrowing the space for neutrality, pushing some Gulf states closer to Washington.

One of the clearest signs of that shift is a reported move by Saudi Arabia to grant U.S. forces access to King Fahd Air Base in Taif, a western facility not used for American combat operations since the Gulf War era.

The shift is also visible across the region. The UAE has severed diplomatic ties with Tehran, shut down Iranian-linked institutions and launched a crackdown on networks tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps after a wave of attacks.

Bahrain, meanwhile, led efforts at the United Nations to pass a Security Council resolution condemning Iranian strikes on Gulf states, while multiple countries — including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar and Kuwait — have issued coordinated statements denouncing Iran’s actions and asserting their right to self-defense.

These Gulf states are in line with the U.S. view that Iran's missile development, uranium enrichment programs and support for regional militant groups need to be "addressed and curtailed" but remain opposed to strikes on critical infrastructure inside Iran, a Gulf official told Fox News Digital.

Qatar has also taken concrete steps in response to Iranian attacks, expelling Iranian military and security attachés and ordering them to leave the country after strikes on critical energy infrastructure. However, Qatar has stopped short of severing full diplomatic ties, maintaining its role as a mediator even as tensions rise.

The Qatari prime minister was in Washington for talks focused on defense cooperation and protecting critical energy infrastructure Thursday, an official briefed on the visit told Fox News.

King Fahd Air Base's location, deep inside Saudi territory and farther from Iran’s missile and drone reach, would offer strategic depth the U.S. has not relied on in decades. U.S. military posture in the region has long centered on more exposed bases along the Persian Gulf, including hubs in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.

Sources familiar with the matter cited in Wall Street Journal reporting said Saudi Arabia agreed to let American forces use the base. The Pentagon and the Saudi embassy declined to comment on the base. Combat aircraft routinely operate "dark" with transponders off in potential combat zones, so they would not appear on civilian flight radar.

Saudi Arabia's tightly controlled media environment also means there are few, if any, independent local reports of U.S. aircraft activity at King Fahd Air Base.

"Our primary concern today is to defend ourselves from the daily attacks on our people and our civilian infrastructure," the Saudi government said in a statement on its posture toward Iran. "Iran has chosen dangerous brinkmanship over serious diplomatic solutions. This harms every stakeholder involved but none more than Iran itself."

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips.

The U.S. can only confirm it has destroyed about one-third of Iran’s missile arsenal, according to sources familiar with U.S. intelligence cited by Reuters and reported by the Jerusalem Post.

Officials say another third of the missiles may have been damaged, destroyed or buried in underground tunnels, but their status remains unclear. Iran is believed to still retain a significant number of operational missiles.

The assessment comes as the U.S.-Israel campaign nears the one-month mark and highlights the difficulty of tracking weapons stored in hardened bunkers and tunnel networks.

It also contrasts with President Donald Trump’s recent claim that Iran has “very few rockets left,” even as Tehran continues launching missiles and drones across the region.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced a new defense cooperation agreement with Mohammed bin Salman, saying the deal will expand technological collaboration and strengthen joint security efforts.

Zelenskyy said the arrangement between Ukraine’s and Saudi Arabia’s defense ministries “lays the foundation for future contracts, technological cooperation, and investment.”

He also linked Ukraine’s battlefield experience to current tensions in the Middle East, noting Ukrainians have faced “the same kind of terrorist attacks — ballistic missiles and drones — that the Iranian regime is currently carrying out” across the region.

The Ukrainian leader said Kyiv is prepared to share its defense expertise while also benefiting from Saudi capabilities, calling the partnership “mutually beneficial.”

Zelenskyy added that discussions with Saudi leadership also covered broader regional developments, including the war involving Iran, energy markets and Russia’s ties to Tehran.