WASHINGTON — It has been 16 days since President Donald Trump launched Operation Epic Fury. The U.S. Central Command reported 13 troops dead and about 200 injured. Oil prices increased.
Trump said he had asked Japan, China, South Korea, and others to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz, where oil tankers move one-fifth of the world’s oil supply from the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman.
“We did this for the world, not for us,” Trump said about the operation.
Trump said the U.S. allies declined, but the U.S. doesn’t need them. He said it was a test that confirmed his suspicions.
“I’ve always felt that was a weakness of NATO, we were going to protect them, but I always said when in need, they won’t protect us,” Trump said.
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Britain was working on a plan to use mine-hunting drones, but not ships.
The U.S., Israel, and Iran continued strikes. Israel was also fighting Iran-backed Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. The conflict also expanded to Iraq, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, and Kuwait.
Here is the list of the 13 U.S. service members killed:
Six troops died after an attack on March 1 in Kuwait: Capt. Cody A. Khork, 35, of Winter Haven, Fla.; Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42, of Bellevue, Nebraska; Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, 39, of White Bear Lake, Minnesota; Sgt. Declan J. Coady, 20, of West Des Moines, Iowa; Maj. Jeffrey O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California.
Sgt. Benjamin N. Pennington, 26, of Glendale, Ky., died on March 8 after he was injured during an attack on March 1, at Prince Sultan Air Base, in Saudi Arabia.
Six airmen died after a KC-135 crashed on March 12 in Iraq: Maj. John A. Klinner, 33, of Auburn, Alabama; Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, of Covington, Washington; Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, of Bardstown, Kentucky; Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, of Mooresville, Indiana; Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, of Wilmington, Ohio; and Tech. Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons, 28, of Columbus, Ohio.
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