More Marines heading to Middle East as U.S. continues relentless strikes on Iran

Welcome to the NewsHour.

Around 2,500 U.S. Marines are reportedly heading for the Middle East, along with an

amphibious warship.

Their mission is not yet clear, but it signals a marked increase in U.S. forces in the region.

The deployment comes, as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said more than 15,000 targets

had been struck in Iran over nearly two weeks of relentless bombing against the regime.

14 American personnel have now been killed during the war, and more than 2,000 are dead,

both in Iran and from Israeli strikes in Lebanon.

Stephanie Sy reports.

Mid-interview, a pro-regime demonstrator in Tehran interrupted.

An airstrike sends smoke rising over a crowded square, but doesn't disperse the masses.

These Iranians are defiant, chanting familiar slogans, death to America, death to Israel,

setting fire to Israeli and American flags.

The protesters had gathered for an annual rally in solidarity with Palestinians when the

mid-day strike hit, killing at least one person.

Several top Iranian leaders, including the President Masood Pizeskian, were in the crowd.

Iran's hard-line judiciary chiefs speaking to a reporter in the moment.

We stand with the people until the last breath.

People don't fear these boom-boom sounds.

Under the rain in the missiles, they will not back down at all.

In northern Israel, fear over cross-border retaliation, a home where a family once lived

is now filled with strappnell and debris.

Another Iranian missile fired by Hezbollah in Lebanon, this one leaving at least 58 people

injured.

In the early hours Friday, Iran targeted a U.S. airbase in southern Turkey.

The ballistic missile was intercepted by NATO defenses, as the American death toll is

rising.

U.S. Central Command said today, six Americans were confirmed to cease when their aircraft

was lost during Operation Epic Fury.

It added, the circumstances of the incident, which occurred in Western Iraq, are under investigation.

Earlier today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Iran's, quote, evil regime, is crumbling.

They're confused and we know it.

Our response?

We will keep pressing.

We will keep pushing, keep advancing.

No quarter, no mercy.

No quarter suggests even those whose surrender could be killed, a violation of international

law.

Meanwhile, market-shaking concerns remain over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical

international oil route.

The only thing prohibiting transit in the straits right now is Iran shooting at shipping.

It is open for transit should Iran not do that.

The U.S. is temporarily easing some of its sanctions on importing Russian oil, in an effort

to ease supplies.

But today, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, when meeting with French President Emmanuel

Macron, emphasized the U.S. sanction waivers won't help end the war he's fighting.

Good, that's it.

This single easing of sanctions by America could provide Russia with approximately $10

billion for the war.

This certainly does not help peace.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz today adding, it is a price problem, not a quantity problem.

There was a very clear opinion from six members of the G7, but this is not the right signal.

We then learned this morning that the American government has apparently decided otherwise.

Again, we believe this is wrong.

Meanwhile, President Trump today addressed reports that Russia is eating the Iranian regime.

You think Putin is helping him?

I think he might be helping him a little bit, yeah, I think yes, and he probably thinks

we're helping Ukraine, right?

And you are, right?

Yeah, we helping him also, and so he says that, and China would say the same thing, you know,

it's like, hey, they do it and we do it in all fairness.

The comments followed a social media post from the president earlier today saying the

Iranian regime has been, quote, killing innocent people all over the world for 47 years.

And now he is killing them, a great honor, he honoured.

The U.S. is now sending more aircraft into the Middle East, signaling the military campaign

is far from over.

For the PBS NewsHour, I'm Stephanie Sy.