War is going great.
WAR IN IRAN | MARCH 20th, DAY 21 RECAP:
* The U.S. Treasury has issued new licenses permitting the sale of Iranian crude oil and petroleum products. Iran is expected to make an estimated $14 billion in revenue.
* An Iranian drone struck the Mina Al-Ahmadi oil refinery in Kuwait, causing fires in multiple units and damage, according to the Kuwait Petroleum Corporation.
* An oil tanker company reportedly paid Iran a $2 million fee for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Iran is charging countries it “favors” a passage fee through the strait, according to the Financial Times.
* Israel attacked Syrian government positions and military camps in southern Syria during the night, and later struck positions in Damascus in response to “attacks on the Druze population.”
* “We eagerly await the U.S. Marines and are fully prepared to unveil our naval surprises for them,” the IRGC said.
* Iranian media report that the spokesperson of the Revolutionary Guards was eliminated.
* U.S. and Israeli strikes continue on western Iran and Tehran.
* Iran continues strikes on Israel and multiple Gulf states.
* Russia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has summoned the Israeli ambassador to Moscow over the Israeli airstrike against RT journalist Steve Sweeney in southern Lebanon.
* NATO is effectively putting the “NATO Mission Iraq” operation on hold and withdrawing its 600 personnel from the country.
* Poland has withdrawn its troops from Iraq today.
* 232 American troops have been wounded since the start of the Iran war, most suffering traumatic brain injuries. Of those, 207 have already returned to duty, and 10 are classified as seriously wounded, according to ABC News, citing a U.S. official.
* The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, originally set to deploy to the Indo-Pacific, have had their deployment process “accelerated” and “rerouted” toward the Middle East, two U.S. officials told CNN.
* “The UK has approved the use of its bases for the U.S. to launch strikes on Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz,” according to the BBC.
* A wave of unauthorized, sophisticated drones operated over Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana between March 9–15, raising major security concerns at a key U.S. nuclear command site, according to ABC News.
* Iraq has declared force majeure on all oilfields developed by foreign oil companies, according to Reuters.
* “The U.S. is preparing plans for the possibility of sending ground troops into Iran. No final decision has yet been made,” according to CBS.
* An Iranian-backed Iraqi militia projectile impacted U.S. Victoria Base in Baghdad, Iraq. The base was struck multiple times within a 12-hour span.
* “Saudi Arabia has agreed to open King Fahd Air Base in Taif, in western Saudi Arabia, to the Americans for its war on Iran,” according to Middle East Eye.
* Iran issued an evacuation order for the entire city of Ras al-Khaimah, UAE, with a population of around 200,000.
* The Pentagon has adopted Palantir’s Maven AI system as an “official program of record.”
* Iran launched two intermediate-range ballistic missiles toward Diego Garcia Airbase; they were intercepted en route, according to The Wall Street Journal. Notably, Diego Garcia is about 4,000 kilometers from Iran, implying its missiles may have a greater range than previously acknowledged.