The war in the Middle East, which started on February 28th after the United States and Israel used joint strikes to attack Iran, has now expanded. Yemen’s Houthi Rebels have entered the fight, attacking Israeli military sites.

More than 11,000 targets have been struck since Operation Epic Fury began, CENTCOM said Saturday in a fact sheet.

Farea Al-Muslimi, a research fellow in the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House think tank, said: “The decision by the Houthis to join the broader Middle East conflict marks a serious and deeply concerning escalation.”

“The potential impact on key commercial maritime routes, especially in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab strait, cannot be overstated. At the same time, vital economic and military infrastructure across the Gulf region may become increasingly exposed,” Al-Muslimi added.

Meanwhile, 3,500 U.S. troops have arrived in the Middle East. More than 3,500 U.S. troops, including the USS Tripoli, including about 2,500 Marines, arrived in the Middle East, officials announced Saturday, as strikes from all sides in the Iran war intensified.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday that the United States can meet its objectives “without any ground troops.” But he also said President Trump “has to be prepared for multiple contingencies” and that American forces are available “to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust to contingencies should they emerge.”

According to a report by CBS News, the U.S. Central Command said in a post on X that the USS Tripoli, which serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, arrived in its area of responsibility.

U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27. The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about… pic.twitter.com/JFWiPBbkd2

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 28, 2026

US media reported that a missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan airbase in Saudi Arabia wounded at least 12 US soldiers, two of them seriously. Drones also struck Kuwait International Airport on Saturday, causing significant damage to its radar system. –CBS News