US Marines deploy to Middle East as Houthis join Iran conflict

The USS Tripoli, carrying about 3,500 US sailors and marines, arrived in the Middle East on Saturday, the US Central Command announced. This amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group/31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and includes transport and fighter aircraft. The deployment strengthens US military positioning as Washington considers potential ground operations near Iran's key oil export hub and the Strait of Hormuz.

Simultaneously, Yemen's Houthi forces announced they have joined the Iran war, claiming their first ballistic missile operation against Israeli military targets. A Houthi spokesperson vowed operations would continue "until the declared goals are achieved" and "until the aggression stops on all fronts."

Iran retaliated against Gulf neighbors over the weekend. Drones struck Oman's Port of Salalah, injuring a worker and damaging a crane. Kuwait reported its international airport was hit by multiple drones, disrupting radar systems. Emirates Global Aluminium confirmed Iranian strikes impacted its Al Taweelah facility in Abu Dhabi.

President Masoud Pezeshkian accused Israel of using "some Muslim countries' territories" to attack Iran and claimed Iran has been "attacked twice during negotiations," casting doubt on adversaries' trustworthiness. This followed Israeli strikes on two Iranian nuclear-related facilities—a heavy-water plant in Khondab and a yellowcake site in Ardakan. Russia condemned the attacks, warning of radioactive contamination risks and calling for IAEA intervention.

For Nigeria, the conflict threatens global oil supply chains, potentially impacting fuel prices and trade routes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. Nigerians with family or business in the region should monitor travel advisories. With oil prices volatile, will this conflict further strain your transport budget or create opportunities in energy trading?

SOURCE: https://dailypost.ng/2026/03/28/us-marines-arrive-in-middle-east-as-houthis-join-iran-war/