More U.S. Troops Arrive in Middle East

Summary

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WSJ What’s News – More U.S. Troops Arrive in Middle East

Date: March 30, 2026
Host: Luke Vargas (The Wall Street Journal)
Episode Theme:
This episode centers on the rapid escalation of the Iran war, the arrival of additional U.S. troops in the Middle East, and the cascading effects on global markets, energy, and diplomacy. Key segments include the implications for military strategy, Europe’s scramble for new gas supplies, and notable business and policy updates.

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Episode Overview

• Main Focus:
  Examination of the U.S. military build-up in the Middle East as the Iran war intensifies, with additional analysis on global energy shifts, diplomatic overtures from Pakistan, and the economic fallout for markets and consumers.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Escalation in the Middle East: U.S. Troop Deployment

• Deployment Details:
  Over 2,000 U.S. Marines, part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), have arrived in the region. This expands options for President Trump, who is weighing further involvement in the Iran conflict.
  [01:07–01:23]
• Strategic Options for the MEU:
  • Potential missions include raiding militarized islands in the Strait of Hormuz, seizing Kharg Island (a key point for Iranian oil exports), escorting ships, or seizing Iranian oil shipments.
    Shelby Holliday: “They're often referred to as the military’s Swiss army knife, and they are in high demand around the world... The MEU could be used as military deception and basically draw Iran’s attention while some other operation is launched.”
    [01:23–02:17]
• Potential High-Risk Operations:
  • One scenario involves a mission to seize ~1,000 pounds of uranium from Iran, possibly requiring American boots on the ground for days, though no final decision yet from the White House.
    [02:17–02:53]

2. Regional Escalation & Fallout

• Houthis Attack Israel:
  • Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched drones at Israel for the first time, prompting Israel to further ration missile interceptors amid ongoing barrages from Iran and Hezbollah.
    [02:53–03:22]
• Impact on Commodities:
  • Iran attacked aluminum smelters in Bahrain and the UAE, causing supply and price disruptions.
    “Excluding Iran, the Gulf smelted about 8% of the world’s aluminum last year.”
    [03:22–03:44]
• Pakistan Emerges as Diplomatic Broker:
  • Pakistan offers to host U.S.–Iran talks; this marks a significant turnaround from previous isolation and distrust.
    Pakistan Foreign Minister: “Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement...” [04:12]

3. President Trump’s Responses on Multiple Fronts

• Iran Negotiation Stance:
  • Trump avoids confirming impending direct negotiations but states the U.S. is open to both direct and indirect talks.
    [04:24–04:36]
• Cuba Oil Blockade Eased:
  • President Trump relaxes the policy on oil shipments to Cuba, citing humanitarian needs despite continued blackouts.
    Trump: “It’s not going to have an impact. Cuba’s finished, they have a bad regime... I’d prefer letting it in, whether it’s Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling.” [04:49–05:08]

4. U.S. Domestic Impact: TSA & Airport Disruptions

• Long Airport Lines Persist:
  • Federal orders for TSA pay have failed to restore normal staffing and alleviate delays.
• ICE Agents Step In:
  Tom Homan, White House border czar: “ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in TSA. We'll be there as long as they need us...” [05:50]

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5. Europe’s Energy Scramble

Segment with Matthew Dalton, Energy Security Reporter: [06:32–10:40]

• Backdrop:
  • The Iran war has halted Qatar’s LNG supply (~20% of global LNG), forcing Europe to compete with Asia for U.S. LNG, driving prices up.
  • Europe’s efforts post-Ukraine war included rapid LNG terminal buildouts and pivot away from Russian gas; now faces renewed supply risk and price surge.
• Impacts by Country:
  • Italy: Highly dependent on gas, slow renewable buildout, seeks extra supply from Algeria, but volumes are limited.
  • Spain: More insulated due to earlier investments in renewables.
  • Norway: Now the EU’s largest gas supplier, but cannot fully close the gap left by Russian or Qatari supply.
• US Reliability Questions:
  • Political tensions under Trump (tariff threats, diplomatic strains) create uncertainty about U.S. long-term reliability as a supplier. Matthew Dalton: “With the Trump administration... Europe is having some doubts about whether the U.S. is, in fact, a reliable supplier.” [09:36]
    • U.S. ambassador warned Europe to sign a pending trade deal or risk losing preferential access to U.S. LNG—a statement some EU lawmakers called “blackmail.”

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6. Global Markets Reaction

• Market Volatility:
  • Stock indices in Japan and South Korea fell 4+% amid war concerns.
  • Oil hits ~$108/barrel; U.S. gasoline edging to $4/gallon.
  • Australia halves its fuel tax for three months in response. PM Anthony Albanese: “The longer this war goes on, the worse the impacts will be.” [11:17]

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7. Major Business and Pharma Updates

• Cisco Acquisition:
  • U.S. food distribution giant Cisco is reportedly set to buy Restaurant Depot (over 160 stores in 35 states) for $29 billion, expanding “cash and carry” capabilities. [11:37–12:16]
• Eli Lilly AI Partnership:
  • Eli Lilly inks a $2.75 billion drug discovery deal with Hong Kong’s Insilico, gaining rights to drugs developed with Insilico’s AI platform “Pharma.AI.”
  • This strengthens Lilly’s China supply chain and ties into broader industry trends of pharmaceutical investment in AI and Chinese research. [12:20–12:49]

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Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Shelby Holliday (on the Marine Expeditionary Unit):
  “They're often referred to as the military's Swiss army knife, and they are in high demand around the world.” [01:23]
• President Trump (on Cuba):
  “Whether or not they get a boat of oil, it's not going to matter. I'd prefer letting it in whether it's Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling.” [04:49–05:08]
• Matthew Dalton (on U.S. as energy supplier):
  “Europe is having some doubts about whether the U.S. is, in fact, a reliable supplier.” [09:36]
• Anthony Albanese (Australia PM, on war effects):
  “The longer this war goes on, the worse the impacts will be.” [11:17]
• Tom Homan (on TSA/ICE backup):
  “We'll be there as long as they need us until they get back to normal operation and feel like those airports are secure.” [05:50]

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:33: Introduction and headlines
• 01:07: Arrival of U.S. troops & strategic analysis
• 02:53: Houthi attacks on Israel & Israeli defense response
• 03:22: Iran’s strike on aluminum producers
• 03:44: Pakistan's diplomatic proposal
• 04:24: Trump’s comments on negotiations and Cuba
• 05:22: U.S. airport/TSA disruptions & ICE support
• 06:32–10:40: Europe’s energy crisis and U.S.-EU LNG ties
• 11:17: Australia’s fuel tax and global markets response
• 11:37: Cisco’s acquisition of Restaurant Depot
• 12:20: Eli Lilly–Insilico AI pharma partnership

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Final Takeaways

This episode underscores the ripple effects of the escalating Iran conflict—from Middle East deployments and drone attacks to global energy upheavals and market volatility. Europe’s scramble for gas, shifts in U.S. reliability as an ally, and big business deals round out an episode rich in geopolitics, economics, and real-world stakes.

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Transcript

[CLA Announcer]

At cla, we're in your corner and on it. We coach tax strategies and Little League first base. We help you adopt AI data tools, and we adopt Rescue's name, buddy. We walk your factory floor and jog the local 5k, though sometimes we walk that too. Wherever you're coming from, we're right there with you. Wherever you're going, we'll get you there. CLA CPAs consultants and advisors. Learn [e-mail] with you.

[Luke Vargas]

As more U.S. troops arrive in the Middle east, we'll look at how the Iran war escalated over the weekend and check in on Pakistan's bid to negotiate

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

an end to fighting.

[President Donald Trump]

I do see a deal in Iran, Mr. President could be soon.

[Luke Vargas]

Plus, Europe hunts for sources of gas beyond the Middle east.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

And as checks start arriving for some

[Luke Vargas]

TSA workers, it could still take days

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

for airports to return to normal.

[Luke Vargas]

It's Monday, March 30th.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street

[Luke Vargas]

Journal, and here is the AM edition of what's the top headlines and business

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

stories moving your world today.

[Luke Vargas]

A new unit of more than 2,000 US troops has arrived in the Middle East.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

National security correspondent Shelby Holliday says that the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit puts a number of options on the table for President Trump as he weighs whether to intensify the U.S. war effort.

[Shelby Holliday]

A Marine Expeditionary Unit, or MU, consists of about 2,200 Marines and sailors that operate out of three warships. They're often referred to as the military's Swiss army knife, and they are in high demand around the world. For one, the mute could be used to raid or seize islands that have been militarized by Tehran, like those that sit in the Strait of Hormuz, the vital shipping lane that Iran has essentially shut down. The unit could also be part of an effort to seize Kharg island, which is a launch point for 90% of Iran's oil exports. It's also possible the Marines could play a role in a convoy effort to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Alternatively, strategists say Marines could play a role in seizing ships that are carrying Iranian oil, similar to what we saw with Venezuela. But there's another thing to consider here. The MEW could be used as military deception and basically draw Iran's attention to the Marines while some other operation is launched.

[Luke Vargas]

One such mission that Trump is considering would involve seizing almost 1,000 pounds of

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

uranium from Iran, a complex task that

[Luke Vargas]

could put American forces inside the country for days or longer.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

We report that Trump hasn't made a decision on whether to give the order, but remains open to the idea since it could prevent Iran from making a nuclear weapon in the future. White House press secretary Caroline Levitt said it was the Pentagon's job to draft a range of options for the president and that it didn't mean he had made a decision. The Pentagon didn't comment on the potential operation, and A spokesman for U.S. central Command declined to comment.

[Luke Vargas]

Meanwhile, the war escalated on several fronts over the weekend, with Yemen's Houthi rebels attacking Israel for the first time on

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Saturday following through on a threat to intervene unless the US And Israel ended fighting. Israel said that it intercepted a pair of drones from Yemen overnight as it continues to face missile and rocket fire from Iran and Hezbollah. The Houthi attacks come as Israel has begun rationing its high end missile interceptors, hoping to preserve supplies of its most capable defensive weapons after four weeks of

[Luke Vargas]

fighting and aluminum prices are soaring after Iran struck a pair of key producers in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Aluminum Bahrain said it's assessing damage to its facility, while the owner of the Emirati plant said had sustained significant damage. Excluding Iran, the Gulf smelted about 8% of the world's aluminum last year.

[Luke Vargas]

While hoping to end the war, Pakistan is pushing to get the US And

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Iran to the negotiating table. Its offer to host potential talks comes after it helped Washington to pass a U.S. peace plan on to Iran last week and marks a return to prominence for a country once isolated by Washington for harboring Osama bin Laden and which was dismissed by Trump in his first term as being a bad faith actor. Pakistan's foreign minister yesterday described the relationship as being on more solid ground.

[Pakistan Foreign Minister]

Pakistan will be honored to host and facilitate meaningful talks between the two sides in coming days for a comprehensive and lasting settlement of the ongoing conflict.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Speaking to reporters last night, President Trump didn't specifically mention the Pakistan talks, but said the US Was negotiating both directly and indirectly with Iran

[Luke Vargas]

well closer to America's shores. President Trump has eased his stance on

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

the Cuba oil blockade, telling reporters that he has no problem with countries including Russia shipping oil to the island amid ongoing blackouts.

[President Donald Trump]

It's not going to have an impact. Cuba's finished, they have a bad regime, they have very bad and corrupt leadership, and whether or not they get a boat of oil, it's not going to matter. I'd prefer letting it in whether it's Russia or anybody else, because the people need heat and cooling.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

The move comes as a sanctioned Russian tanker carrying almost three quarters of a million barrels of oil prepares to dock in Cuba tomorrow. Experts say the shipment could produce enough diesel to meet demand in Cuba for nine or ten days.

[Luke Vargas]

And back in the U.S. long lines remained a fixture at airports across the

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

country over the weekend, despite President Trump's

[Luke Vargas]

executive order directing officials to pay TSA

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

workers, many of whom continue not to show up to work. The Department of Homeland Security said that some workers could get paid today amid the ongoing standoff in Congress on funding the department. Speaking on CBS's Face the Nation, meanwhile, White House border czar Tom Homan said that ICE agents will remain at airports.

[Tom Homan]

ICE is there to help our brothers and sisters in tsa. We'll be there as long as they need us until they get back to normal operation and feel like those airports are secure.

[Luke Vargas]

Coming up with its energy links to the Gulf disrupted, Europe looks for new sources of gas and Eli lilly bets

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

on AI's potential to discover new drugs. Those stories and more after the break.

[LexisNexis Announcer]

Law moves fast, and legal work still needs to stay ahead. LexisNexis protege legal AI workflows bring trusted authority and verified citations into every draft. Private, secure, authoritative legal AI. LexisNexis.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

First it was the Ukraine war, and now Iran. Journal energy security reporter Matthew Dalton reports that Europe is back in a familiar pickle as conflict sends it scrambling yet again to track down reliable and affordable energy sources.

[Luke Vargas]

Matt, we're talking here about natural gas,

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

something we discussed in the context a little bit more for Asia than we have for Europe. So give us the latest for Europe.

[Matthew Dalton]

Well, after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Europe decided to cut back dramatically on buying Russian gas via pipelines that connect Russia to the European Union. And they largely replaced that gas with liquefied natural gas from the United States and a few other places. This is gas that is put into pressurized vessels that can cool it into a liquid and transfer it across the ocean. And so the Iran war has knocked off all of Qatar's LNG production, which is about 20% of all global supply. Most of US LNG exports go to Europe in normal times. However, without Qatari lng, Asian economy started bidding for those cargoes. And so there were cargoes that were bound for different places in Europe and suddenly turned around and headed to Asia. So now the entire continent has a problem because they must pay a lot more for LNG than they were doing before the war.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

So how are European countries reacting?

[Matthew Dalton]

Well, Italy is looking to its biggest supplier of gas, which is Algeria, just across the Mediterranean. It is North Africa's biggest gas producer.

And there is the possibility for some more supply to go through the pipeline to Italy, but it's not a huge amount. It's definitely not going to offset what Europe was getting or what the global economy was getting from Qatar. So Algeria can only do so much, and it does have two major economies that are partially depending on it. You know, one thing, though, that separates Spain from Italy, interestingly, is that Spain has done a lot to build out renewables and so relies less on gas, and Italy has been quite slow to do so. And so they're much more dependent on gas than most other economies in Europe. So Italy is really feeling the pinch in particular, but the gas is out there. The US has enough gas to export to Europe. There are, you know, there's Algeria, there's Norway.

Norway is the European Union's biggest gas supplier now.

It's also a big supplier to the UK so it's not like in 2022, when Europe have the capacity to import a lot of lng. They built LNG import terminals all over

the continent in a relatively short amount of time.

Now the question is not so much availability, it's at what price and what

impact that will have on European consumers, on European companies that rely on gas.

It's another blow to a region that's

trying to remain competitive with the rest of the world and not doing a great job of it.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Right. So it sounds like the renewables push, if anything, is going to intensify as a result of all of this. Separately, I'm curious, is the continent going

[Luke Vargas]

to go back to the Gulf when

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

the fighting is over?

[Luke Vargas]

And what about the U.S. can it

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

be a reliable partner here?

[Matthew Dalton]

During the Biden administration, when Europe was trying to figure out where to get its gas, if not from Russia, US LNG was seen as very reliable. Now, with the Trump administration and with all the problems that have appeared in the transatlantic alliance with Trump's threats of tariffs and threats to seize Greenland, Europe is having some doubts about whether the US Is, in fact, a reliable supplier. And last week, the US Ambassador to the EU said that Europe should quickly sign a trade deal that's under consideration with the US or risk losing favorable access to US lng. Now, it's a question whether actually Europe does have favorable access. In fact, they probably just pay for it and that they're willing to pay more than anybody else for US LNG under normal conditions. But it was a comment that some lawmakers in the European Parliament said it amounted to blackmail. So the US Reliability as an energy supplier is not viewed as it once was.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Just a few years ago, I've been speaking to Wall Street Journal energy security reporter Matthew Dalton. Matt, thanks so much.

[Matthew Dalton]

Thank you, Luke.

[Luke Vargas]

Meanwhile, concerns about a protracted disruption to

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

energy supplies are sending global equities lower and oil higher. Today. Japan's Nikkei and South Korea's Kospi index both fell more than 4% on fears that the war could slow global growth. Futures for international Benchma crude are up and trading around $108 a barrel. US gasoline prices are continuing their upward climb, sitting just shy of $4 a gallon. And Australia's government responded to higher prices today by cutting its fuel tax in half for three months. Here was Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announcing the move.

[Tom Homan]

While Australia's fuel supply outlook remains secure in the near term, we need to be very clear as well with Australians that the longer this war goes on, the worse the impacts will be.

[Luke Vargas]

In other market news, we are exclusively reporting that food distribution giant Cisco is nearing a deal to buy family owned Restaurant depot for roughly $29 billion.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Cisco is the biggest US food distributor to restaurants, hospitals and schools and the

[Luke Vargas]

deal could help it to expand into the high mar and growing cash and

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

carry distribution model in which restaurant owners can pick up food supplies on the same day as they need them. Restaurant Depot operates more than 160 large format warehouse stores across 35 states and is expected to continue operating as a standalone business unit within Cisco after the deal closes.

[Luke Vargas]

And Eli Lilly has signed a drug discovery deal with Hong Kong, listed in

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

silico worth as much as $2.75 billion

[Luke Vargas]

as the drugmaker continues to tap China's

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

vast pharmac pharmaceutical research base. As part of the deal, Eli Lilly

[Luke Vargas]

will obtain exclusive worldwide rights to manufacture and sell a number of drugs discovered

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

using Insilico's artificial intelligence model Pharma AI. The deal is part of Eli Lilly's plans to expand its supply chain capacity in the country and follow several high profile deals with Chinese drug makers.

[Luke Vargas]

And that's it for what's news for this Monday morning.

[Wall Street Journal Reporter]

Additional sound in this episode was from Reuters. Today's show was produced by Hattie Moyer. Our supervising producer was Daniel Boc and I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal. We'll be back tonight with a new show. Until then, thanks for listening.

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