US-Iran War Live Updates: US Kicks Off Oil Reserve Release; Orders Partial Evacuation Of Oman Staff

Kuwait’s National Guard intercepted and brought down a drone in an area under its protection, according to a statement from the Kuwait Government Communication Centre. Officials said the move was necessary to safeguard critical infrastructure and address potential security threats.

The incident comes amid heightened regional tensions, with Iran launching waves of missile and drone attacks across the Gulf that have targeted U.S. assets, military facilities, and civilian areas, as reported by Al Jazeera.

The United States has ordered the departure of non‑essential government personnel and their families from Oman due to rising security concerns. According to Al Jazeera, the State Department cited heightened risks linked to potential armed conflict and terrorism.

While Oman remains under a Level 3 “reconsider travel” advisory, areas close to the Yemeni border continue to carry the highest Level 4 “do not travel” warning because of persistent threats in those regions.

The U.S. Department of Energy says that the first batches of crude released from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) are expected to begin reaching the market next week. The Trump administration has authorised a drawdown of 172 million barrels as part of a wider International Energy Agency initiative in which member nations will jointly release 400 million barrels to ease supply pressures caused by the ongoing U.S.–Israeli conflict with Iran.

According to Energy Department statements, the U.S. release will be delivered over roughly four months, following planned discharge schedules. The last major SPR drawdown occurred in 2022 under President Joe Biden, when 180 million barrels were released in response to the supply shock triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 
 

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sharply criticized the Trump administration in a post on X, accusing Washington of double standards in its approach to global oil markets. He argued that the U.S. had spent months pressuring India to curb purchases of Russian crude, yet after just two weeks of conflict with Iran, the White House was now encouraging countries — including India — to increase their imports of Russian oil.

The U.S. spent months on bullying India into ending oil imports from Russia. After two weeks of war with Iran, White House is now begging the world—incl India—to buy Russian crude.

Europe thought backing illegal war on Iran would win U.S. support against Russia.

Pathetic. pic.twitter.com/fbkrXpXa9P

— Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) March 13, 2026

Araghchi also took aim at European governments, saying their belief that backing what he called an “illegal war” against Iran would secure stronger U.S. support against Russia was misguided.

Iran has issued a warning that it will strike oil and energy facilities connected to the United States if its own petroleum infrastructure comes under attack.

As reported by Al Jazeera, a spokesperson for the Khatam al‑Anbiya Central Headquarters stated that any assault on Iran’s oil assets would prompt retaliatory action against energy sites operated by companies aligned with or supporting the U.S. across the region.

According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, five U.S. Air Force refuelling aircraft were damaged on the ground during a recent Iranian missile strike targeting a Saudi air base.

The incident occurred at Prince Sultan Air Base, where the aircraft sustained hits but were not fully destroyed. U.S. officials told the newspaper that the damaged planes are now undergoing repairs, and no injuries were reported as a result of the strike.

The United States is preparing to reinforce its military footprint in the Middle East by sending roughly 2,500 Marines along with an additional naval ship. As reported by Gulf News, the deployment will involve components of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA‑7).

A U.S. official told the Associated Press that the decision is part of broader, sensitive military planning and marks a significant strengthening of America’s presence in the region.