The US military dropped multiple 5,000-pound ground-penetrating bombs to bomb Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz! The USS Tripoli, amphibious assault ship stationed in Japan, urgently heads to the Middle East

# Shangguan News

The U.S. military has launched strikes on Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz using multiple 2.7-ton bunker-busting bombs. Iran’s parliament speaker immediately declared that the strait “will not return to its pre-war state.” Meanwhile, the U.S. has deployed over 5,000 additional troops to the Middle East, with a carrier strike group rushing to the region. Ray Dalio of Bridgewater Associates bluntly stated: This is an “ultimate battle,” and its outcome will reshape global oil prices and the world order.

U.S. Central Command announced on the evening of March 17 that the U.S. military had struck Iranian missile positions along the Strait of Hormuz “hours earlier” with multiple 5,000-pound (approximately 2.7-ton) bunker-busting bombs.

The U.S. military stated that Iranian anti-ship cruise missiles at these positions posed a threat to international shipping in the strait.

As of now, Iran has not yet responded to the strikes.

### Iran’s Parliament Speaker: The Strait of Hormuz Will Not Return to Its Pre-War State

On March 17 local time, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Speaker of the Islamic Consultative Assembly of Iran, posted on social media that the Strait of Hormuz will not return to its pre-war state.

On March 13, Mojtaba Khamenei, Iran’s newly appointed Supreme Leader, issued his first statement since taking office, declaring that Iran would continue to block the Strait of Hormuz. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has repeatedly stated that the Strait of Hormuz is under the tight control of the IRGC Navy, and “the U.S. and its allies have no right of passage.”

### U.S. Deploying Marines to the Middle East

As previously reported by CCTV, the Strait of Hormuz—at its narrowest point just 34 kilometers wide—holds global significance. As the world closely monitors oil prices and inflation, Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, wrote in a column: The U.S.-Iran contest for control of the Strait of Hormuz is an “ultimate battle.” It will not only alter oil prices but also transform the entire world.

Currently, the U.S. military has dispatched an amphibious ready group and its attached Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East. The USS Tripoli, an amphibious assault ship stationed in Japan, is also urgently heading toward Iran. Equipped with an F-35 fighter squadron and an MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor squadron, the vessel possesses powerful amphibious assault capabilities.

Additionally, U.S. media reported that the U.S. is deploying a total of 5,000 Marines to the Middle East.

### NATO Allies “Unenthusiastic” About Strait of Hormuz Escort; Trump: U.S. No Longer Needs NATO Help, Should Consider Withdrawing

On March 17 local time, CCTV reporters learned that U.S. President Donald Trump once again expressed his dissatisfaction with NATO at the White House that day. Trump stated that whether the U.S. should withdraw from NATO “is indeed something we should consider.”

When asked if he was reassessing U.S.-NATO relations and even considering withdrawal, Trump said: “It’s something we should consider. I don’t need Congress to make that decision.”

He added that there are “no specific plans” at present, but he is “not satisfied” with the status quo.

Trump has recently repeatedly called on European countries, as well as Japan and South Korea, to assist the U.S. in safeguarding navigation security in the Strait of Hormuz, and pressured NATO allies, warning of “very bad” consequences if NATO fails to help ensure normal shipping through the strait. However, Trump told reporters at the White House on March 16 that some countries are “unenthusiastic” about the U.S. call. Earlier on March 17, Trump again criticized NATO allies on his personal social media platform and stated that the U.S. no longer needs or desires assistance from NATO countries.

Source: Shangguan News

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