Iran threatened to expand its retaliatory attacks to include tourists sites as thousands more American troops were deployed to the Middle East and the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran showed no signs of slowing.
In a statement on Friday, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a senior spokesman for Iran’s military, said “tourist resorts, recreational parks, and sightseeing centers around the world” could be targeted in what he called a hunt for United States and Israeli leaders.
A U.S. defense official told USA TODAY that thousands more Marines are being deployed to the Middle East on an accelerated timeline, bringing the number of Marines recently ordered to the region to nearly 5,000.
President Donald Trump said on Thursday he’s not putting troops “anywhere,” and on Friday he declined to discuss the new deployment, while suggesting he might be “winding down” the war. The idea of deploying troops to the region as part of a large-scale ground war effort is deeply unpopular among Americans, new polling shows.
The average price of a gallon of gas rose to $3.91 early Friday, up from $2.93 a month ago, according to AAA. Trump on Friday called NATO countries “cowards” for rejecting his demands that they help defend the Strait of Hormuz, a critical shipping lane that Iran has effectively closed, raising energy prices globally.
Connor Ling
Dan Morrison
Iran fired a pair of ballistic missiles at the joint US/UK military base at Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, the Wall Street Journal reported, showing greater range in its missile stockpiles than it had admitted to in the past.
Citing multiple US officials, the Journal said neither of the two missiles hit the base. One “failed” in flight, and the second was targeted by an interceptor missile, the outlet reported. It was unclear if the interceptor stopped that missile or if it failed to strike for other reasons.
Diego Garcia, in the middle of the Indian Ocean, is about 4,000 kilometers, or 2,485 miles, from Iran. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Indian television last month that Iran had “deliberately limited” its ballistic missiles to a range of no more than 2,000 kilometers.
Araghchi said in a social media post on Friday that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer “putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran.”
Dan Morrison
Connor Ling
Dan Morrison
The Israeli military said overnight it was striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanese capital Beirut. More than 1,000 Lebanese have died since militant group Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel over the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and was met with a blistering response that caused more than 700,000 to flee their homes.
Reuters
United Airlines Scott Kirby said the airline will cancel about 5% of this year’s planned flights in the short term, as jet fuel prices surge due to the Middle East conflict.
“If prices stayed at this level, it would mean an extra $11 billion in annual expense just for jet fuel,” Kirby said in a message to employees posted on its website. The airline’s current plan is to restore the full schedule this fall, Kirby added.
Bart Jansen
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent temporarily lifted sanctions on stranded Iranian oil in shipping tankers, to relieve the shortage of oil that has driven up prices worldwide.
Bessent said about 140 million barrels of oil on ships floating around the world. That oil will be in addition to the 440 million barrels the United States and other countries are releasing from their reserves to combat rising fuel prices.
“In essence, we will be using the Iranian barrels against Tehran to keep the price down as we continue Operation Epic Fury,” Bessent said in a statement. “This temporary, short-term authorization is strictly limited to oil that is already in transit and does not allow new purchases or production.”
Dan Morrison
Iran threatened to expand its retaliatory attacks to include worldwide tourists sites as Tehran continued to pummel its Persian Gulf neighbors and Israel with missiles and drones as the United States and Israel struck targets in the country’s interior.
In a statement on Friday, Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi, a senior spokesman for Iran’s military, said “tourist resorts, recreational parks, and sightseeing centers around the world” could be targeted in what he called a hunt for United States and Israeli leaders.
Shekarchi suggested U.S. and Israeli leaders were taking refuge from Iranian strikes in tourist centers, and said Iran’s leaders “are not like the officials of the criminal terrorist American-Zionist regime, who have hidden themselves in basements and shelters or used the people as human shields due to their inability to withstand the heroic resistance of the Iranian nation…”
Many of Iran’s top leaders, including Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, intelligence chief Ali Larijani, and the intelligence minister, have been killed in targeted airstrikes since the war began on Feb. 28.
Reuters
Ukraine sent specialist teams to five Middle Eastern countries to help intercept drones and advise on air-defence measures, with officials saying they expect to conclude several significant agreements.
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said teams had been sent to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, and Jordan, states that have come under fire during the Iran war.
He said that local air defence units were dealing with ballistic missiles, while Ukrainian specialists were focused on the waves of Iran’s Shahed drones. “I believe no one has experience comparable to ours,” Zelenskyy told journalists, adding that 228 Ukrainian specialists were now in the region.
Although Gulf states operate sophisticated U.S.-made air defense systems, the missiles they use are in short supply and cost much more than Iran’s Shahed drones.
Moscow has bombarded Ukraine with nearly 60,000 Shaheds and similar systems. It initially bought thousands of them from Iran, before establishing its own production facilities. Ukraine has launched drone attacks at Russia, although on a smaller scale.
Rebecca Morin
President Trump, in his latest statement suggesting the Iran war is nearly over, said the United States is “very close” to meeting its objectives and is considering winding down military efforts.
“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,” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social.
Listing five objectives, the president said the U.S. has degraded Iranian missile capability, destroyed Iran’s defense industrial base, eliminated its Navy and Air Force, hindered the country’s nuclear capability and protected Middle Eastern allies.
Trump said the Strait of Hormuz will be “guarded and policed, as necessary” by other countries who use it. “If asked, we will help these Countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated,” Trump wrote in the post.
Rebecca Morin
As many Americans are worried about climbing fuel costs, President Trump said thought the prices would continue to worsen amid the Iran war.
”I expected worse, actually. I really thought, I thought that oil prices would go much higher when I did this,” Trump told reporters when leaving the White House.
The president said that, ahead of the United States and Israeli attacks on Iran, the U.S. stock market had reached levels “like nobody’s ever seen before.”
“But I said I have to go off of that path, and I have to take a little journey,” Trump said. U.S. stocks on Friday, March 20, closed lower in the fourth straight week of losses. “We had to go off on a circuitous path and take care of business. And we are in the process of doing it, and I’ll tell you, I think we’re weeks ahead of schedule.”
Rebecca Morin
Greeted with bouquets of flowers and dozens of flowing Iranian flags, Iran’s national women’s soccer team was welcomed home to Tehran after some players initially tried to seek asylum in Australia.
The team was returning from the Asian Cup tournament, which was held in Australia. Seven members of the team sought asylum in Australia after they received backlash for not singing the national anthem before their first match. However, five of the players withdrew their asylum claims, while two members stayed in Australia, according to media reports.
Thousands of people were seen gathering in Valiasr Square in central Tehran, which is where pro-government rallies have been held, to welcome back the players, according to Al Jazeera.
Christopher Cann
Asked if Israel would be ready to end the war when the U.S. decides it’s over, Trump said, “I think so.”
“The relationship is a very good one,” Trump told reporters before departing for Florida. “We want more or less similar things.”
On Thursday, Trump expressed dissatisfaction with Israel’s attack on one of Iran’s largest gas fields. He said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and “told him don’t do that.”
The U.S. and Israel initiated the war together with a series of strikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Trump has said the two countries remain “independent” but that their military approaches are “coordinated.”
Andrea Riquier
Stocks slid and bonds sold off March 20 as Wall Street grappled with the fallout from higher energy prices.
The S&P 500 gave back 1.5%, the Dow lost 1%, and the Nasdaq slid 2% to near correction territory Friday as the Rian war showed no sign of ending. With Brent crude nearing $110 a barrel, investors increasingly expect the Federal Reserve will need to hike interest rates at some point in 2026 to contain inflation.
Gas prices remained moderate, at $3.914 a gallon nationwide. That’s up about a dollar a gallon compared to a month ago.
Many analysts are starting to fear the energy disruptions will stick around for a while. Ben May, director of global macro research at Oxford Economics, said he expects the Brent oil price to average $113 a barrel in the second quarter of this year – and take until 2028 to get back to his “pre-crisis” forecast.
Christopher Cann
President Trump on Friday declined to say why the U.S. military was deploying thousands more Marines to the Middle East.
When asked if the deployments were for deterrence or to enhance military capabilities, Trump said, “if I told you the answer to that question, my military people would not be very happy.”
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit is being sent to the Middle East on an accelerated timeline, a defense official told USA TODAY on Friday, bringing the number of Marines joining the Iran war to nearly 5,000 after another of the units deployed last week.
Rebecca Morin
President Trump said he thinks the United States has militarily won the war with Iran.
“Oh, I think we’ve won,” Trump said while speaking to reporters while leaving the White House, adding that the the U.S. has knocked out their Navy and Air Force. “We’ve knocked out everything. We’re roaming free from a military standpoint.”
Trump said that all Iran is doing now is “clogging up” the Strait of Hormuz. He called on NATO allies to help defend the strait. “But from a military standpoint, they’re finished,” Trump said of Iran.
Christopher Cann
President Trump said he does not want a ceasefire with Iran, telling reporters the regime’s leadership and military capabilities have been “obliterated.”
“I don’t want to do a ceasefire,” he said.
A day earlier, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard told senators that the Iranian regime “appears intact but largely degraded.”
Rebecca Morin
President Trump bashed NATO for not doing more to help defend the Strait of Hormuz, a critical oil shipping lane that Iran has effectively closed.
Trump said there is a “simple military maneuver” that the United States is considering but that “you need a lot of help” with more ships.
“You need volume, and NATO could help us, but they so far haven’t had the courage to do so,” Trump said. Trump added that countries like China and Japan, which get most of their energy through the waterway, should do more as well. “It would be nice if those countries would get involved,” he said.
In recent days, Trump has ping-ponged from demanding backup in the strait to declaring the United States doesn’t need anyone’s help.
Christopher Cann
President Donald Trump on Friday refused to rule out further attacks on Kharg Island, a small landmass 15 miles off Iran’s coast where 90% of the country’s crude oil exports are processed.
When asked about plans for more attacks on the island, Trump said “I may have a plan or I may not – how would I ever say that to a reporter. … I can’t tell you that.”
U.S. missiles on Friday, March 13, blew up Iranian air defenses on the island.
Christopher Cann
British ministers on Friday agreed to allow U.S. forces to use U.K. bases to degrade Iran’s ability to carry out attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
The announcement comes after Trump called NATO members “cowards” for not sending naval vessels to protect the critical trade route.
The ministers “condemned” Iran’s attacks on shipping vessels and said the actions “risked pushing the region further into crisis and worsening the economic impact being felt in the UK and around the world,” said a statement from the U.K. government.
“The UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict,” the statement said.
Christopher Cann
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Friday suspended the state’s gas taxes, becoming the first state to do so as the war in the Middle East rages on.
The average price of a gallon of gas rose to $3.91 early Friday, up from $2.93 a month ago, according to AAA.
Kemp said the initiative will for 60 days suspend motor fuel taxes in the state, which are 33.3-cents-per-gallon of gasoline and 37.3-cents-per-gallon of diesel.
“Today’s suspension of the state gas tax enabled by House Bill 1199 will save hardworking Georgians and the truckers who keep our state moving nearly $400 million over the next 60 days,” said state Rep. Jon Burns in a statement.
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Cybele Mayes-Osterman
The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is headed to the Middle East on an accelerated timeline, a defense official told USA TODAY, bringing the number of Marines joining the Iran war to nearly 5,000 after another of the units deployed last week.
Around 2,200 Marines based at Camp Pendleton make up the 11th MEU. They will join an additional 2,500 Marines of the 31st MEU deployed to the Middle East last week, USA TODAY previously reported.
Military tracker accounts on X showed the USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship that the Marines are reportedly deploying abord, leaving port at San Diego on March 18.
Bart Jansen
Trump said it would take Iran 10 years to rebuild but if the theocratic leaders refuse to capitulate on developing a nuclear weapon, Tehran might never be able to rebuild.
“I think I could leave right now and it would take them 10 years to rebuild. But I don’t think that’s an acceptable situation,” Trump told MS NOW’s Stephanie Ruhle. “If we stay longer, they’ll never rebuild.”
He said that the U.S. could “possibly” influence who controls the Iranian government, but “that’s not the majors.”
“The major thing is that they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said.
Christopher Cann
President Trump said the U.S. wants to speak with the Iranian leadership but said there’s “nobody to talk to” in the regime.
“Their leaders are all gone. Their next set of leaders are all gone. And the next set of leaders are mostly gone. And now nobody wants to be a leader over there anymore,” Trump said on Friday.
“We’re having a hard time. We want to talk to them and there’s nobody to talk to. And you know what, we like it that way,” he added.
The war’s initial strikes killed Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was replaced by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei. The younger Khamenei, who is more hardline than his father, hasn’t been seen in public since he was injured in a strike that killed several members of his family.
Christopher Cann
President Trump on Friday said the U.S. is “doing extremely well in Iran.”
“The difference between them and us is they had a navy two weeks ago – they have no navy anymore. It’s all at the bottom of the sea,” he said before presenting a trophy to the Navy Midshipmen football team.
“We are doing really well,” Trump added. “We’re not going to let them have nuclear weapons because if they had them, they’d use them and we’re not going to let that happen.”
Trump also said that he asked military commanders why the U.S. didn’t “save” some of the Iranian ships. “We could have used them ourselves,” Trump said.
Christopher Cann
The U.S. military is deploying thousands of additional troops, including Marines, to the Middle East, multiple news outlets reported, including Reuters and The Associated Press, citing anonymous sources.
A day earlier, President Trump told reporters: “I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. But I’m not putting troops.”
Christopher Cann
President Trump called NATO members “COWARDS” after several countries rejected his demands that they send naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz.
“Without the U.S.A., NATO IS A PAPER TIGER!” Trump said on Truth Social, his social media platform, writing that members “complain” about high oil prices but “don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz.”
“COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” He added.
Bart Jansen
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said he doesn’t see a quick end to the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran but that he would keep working toward a lasting diplomatic solution.
His pessimism after meeting with Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar in Tel Aviv was underscored by an Iranian missile attack that sent him, his staffers and reporters to a bomb shelter.
“There is no obvious short-term way out of the ongoing regional escalation, which has in some ways been unfolding since October 7, 2023,” Barrot said, referring to the Hamas attack on Israel from Gaza. “But this must in no way serve as a pretext for inaction.”
Andrea Riquier
The oil price stabilized March 20 even as gas prices, which tend to follow crude’s path with a lag, closed in on $4 a gallon nationwide.
Brent crude oil was virtually unchanged at about $103 a barrel just before 9 AM Eastern. Some analysts said the Trump administration’s plans to possibly ease sanctions on Iranian crude, announced Thursday, may have helped calm the oil markets.
But Americans filling up their tanks are still feeling the pinch. The nationwide average for gas was $3.926 a gallon on Friday morning, about one dollar more than a month ago. In a Reuters/Ipsos poll taken this week, 55% of respondents said their household finances had taken at least “somewhat” of a hit from the increases in gas prices. Among those seeing an impact, 21% said their finances were affected “a great deal.”
Some experts fear there’s no end in sight.
“Our short-term views remain that 1) oil prices will likely continue to trend higher while Hormuz flows remain very low, 2) Brent is likely to exceed its 2008 all time high if depressed flows keep the market focused on the risk of lengthier disruptions,” Goldman Sachs analysts wrote on March 19.
Bart Jansen
The Justice Department announced the seizure of four websites for allegedly helping Iran’s hacking efforts, psychological operations and repression in other countries.
The seized domains – Justicehomeland.org, Handala-Hack.to, Karmabelow80.org and Handala-Redwanted.to – were used by Iran’s ministry of intelligence and security, according to an FBI affidavit submitted in the case.
The sites targeted Iran’s adversaries by claiming credit for hacking, posting sensitive stolen data and calling for the killing of journalists, regime dissidents and Israelis, according to the affidavit. For example, Handala-hack.to claimed credit for a March 2026 malware attack on an unnamed U.S. medical technologies firm, in retaliation for “ongoing cyber assaults against the infrastructure of the Axis of Resistance,” the affidavit said.
Bart Jansen
A top security official in Ukraine, Rustem Umerov, said his country deployed equipment to five Middle East countries to help protect against drone strikes from Iran.
Ukraine developed expertise in drone combat during its ongoing war with Russia. Umerov, the secretary of Ukraine’s national security and defense council, visited the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Jordan in the past week and said the drone defenses were deployed in those countries.
“Interception units have been deployed to protect civilian and critical infrastructure,” Umerov said on social media March 20. “Work is also under way to expand coverage areas.”
Bart Jansen
Energy Secretary Chris Wright said removing sanctions on Iranian oil stranded in tankers at sea would get supplies to Asia within three or four days.
His comments to Fox Business Network came a day after Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with Trump to voice concerns about energy prices because her country gets 90% of its oil from shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has blocked.
On March 19, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had said the United States might soon remove sanctions on stranded Iranian oil as a way to curb fuel prices that resulted from the closure of shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
“Within days, within three or four days, that oil will start to arrive at ports,” Wright said.
Michael Loria
The war with Iran has sparked fighting throughout the Middle East, including in Lebanon where Israel and Iran ally Hezbollah have been fighting intermittently for generations.
Over 1,000 people have been killed in the country, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health. The government agency said over 2,500 people have been wounded.
The UN Refugee Agency reported, citing government statistics, that 822,000 people in Lebanon had been displaced as of March 12 by the burgeoning war.
“When they hear explosions, I tell them it is fireworks for a wedding,” Yahya Assaf, 59, told UN investigators regarding his current life in a refugee tent with his grandchildren. “I try to protect them from the fear and ugliness we are experiencing.”
Michael Loria
Nearly two-thirds of Americans believe President Trump will deploy troops as part of a large-scale ground war with Iran and very few Americans support the idea, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The poll comes out as White House officials have repeatedly avoided ruling out a ground invasion. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu explicitly said a “ground component” would be necessary, and Reuters, citing unnamed sources, reported the Trump administration is considering deploying thousands of U.S. troops as part of the next steps in the campaign against Iran.
According to the poll, 65% of Americans believe Trump will send troops into a large-scale ground war with Iran and 7% of respondents support the idea.
The three-day poll surveyed 1,545 U.S. adults across the country and closed Thursday.
