The United States is sending a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its fourth week and tensions in the region continue to rise.
According to three US officials who spoke to Reuters, this move is part of Washington's efforts to cope with the situation in the region, especially after Iran's blockade of the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a sea route through which much of the world's oil passes.
Oil prices have risen by about 50% since the start of the war between the US, Israel and Iran, as fears of a major global energy crisis grow. The price of Brent crude is approaching $110 a barrel.
The decision to send additional forces came as US President Donald Trump sharply criticized US allies for refusing to help open the Strait of Hormuz.
"Cowards, and we will remember this!" Trump wrote in a harsh reaction on social media.
Meanwhile, Iran's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, in a message for the Persian New Year, stated that attacks on Iranian leaders have not frightened the country.
"They thought that by hitting the leader and important figures they would create fear, but the nation responded with unity and resistance," his message said.
As Muslim countries celebrate the end of Ramadan and Iran marks the Persian New Year, the prospect of a quick end to the war still seems distant.
