Marines on way to Mideast

By OC Tribune Staff on March 13, 2026 • ( Leave a comment )

USS TRIPOLI (U.S. Navy photo).

The United States is in the process of deploying troops from a Marine Expeditionary Unit – about 2,500 – and an amphibious assault ship – the USS Tripoli – to the Mideast.

The Associated Press is reporting its sources indicate that the development does not necessarily mean the beginning of a ground operation in or near Iran.

In other news, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said that Mojtaba Khamenei, supreme leader of Iran “is wounded and likely disfigured.” The comment was made without evidence, but Khamenei has not been seen publicly since becoming the nation’s top leader.

Also, all six members of the crew of a KC-135 refueling aircraft that crashed in western Iraq are dead, bringing the number of U.S. fatalities in Operation Epic Fury to 13, of which seven died in combat.

Oil prices at a 4-year-high

The price of oil on world markets is now at over $103 per barrel, according to The New York Times. That’s a rise of over 40 percent since the beginning of the military conflict between the U.S. and Iran and a 4-year high.

OIL PRICES are at a four-year high (Flickr/Thomas Hawk).

Blockage of the Hormuz Straight – a key sea route to export oil from Iran – is considered to be a key cause of the price spike, along with general anxiety about the impact of the war on the availability of petroleum as long as warfare continues.

Efforts by various nations to relieve pressure on the market by some nations have not been able to arrest the increase. However, sanctions against Russian oil already at sea have been lifted.

The move comes as a boost to Russia, whose ongoing war in Ukraine has proved to be far more costly than expected and lasting longer than anticipated.

Judge rejects subpoena of Powell

Subpoenas of Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell by the Department of Justice have been rejected by a federal judge.

JEROME POWELL

United Press International reports that Judge James Boasberg “quashed” the subpoenas, chastising the DOJ. “The government has produced essentially zero evidence of a crime; indeed, its justifications are so thin and unsubstantiated that the Court can only conclude that they are pretextual.” That’s a term meaning “dubious or spurious.”

Powell has been under pressure to either lower interest rates or resign, something that Boasberg cited in his remarks.

The accusations against him center on the cost of renovations of the Federal Reserve’s Washington offices.

Weather: There’s more heat ahead

After an interlude of relative cool, the West Orange County area is headed back to the 90s. Saturday is forecast to have a daytime high of 79 with an overnight low of 53 with morning clouds and afternoon sun. Sunday will warm to 81 (55) with partly cloudy skies and Monday will climb to 87 (47) and again partly cloudy. On Tuesday the thermometer will peak to 90 (59) and mostly sunny skies.