WASHINGTON, March 18 (Reuters) — President Donald Trump’s administration is considering deploying thousands of U.S. troops to reinforce its operation in the Middle East, as the U.S. military prepares for possible next steps in its campaign against Iran, said a U.S. official and three people familiar with the matter.The deployments could help provide Trump with additional options as he weighs expanding U.S. operations, with the Iran war well into its third week.Those options include securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a mission that would be accomplished primarily through air and naval forces, the sources said. But securing the Strait could also mean deploying U.S. troops to Iran’s shoreline, said four sources, including two U.S. officials.Reuters granted the sources anonymity to speak about military planning.The Trump administration has also discussed options to send ground forces to Iran’s Kharg Island, the hub for 90% of Iran’s ​oil exports, the three people familiar with the matter and three U.S. officials said. One of the officials said such an operation would be very risky. Iran has the ability to reach the island with missiles and drones.The United States carried out strikes against military targets on the island on March…

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Senate Republicans blocked yet another bid by Senate Democrats to handcuff President Donald Trump’s war authorities in Iran, in what could be an avalanche of similar moves to break through the GOP’s floor takeover.Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., triggered one of several war powers resolutions Senate Democrats have tucked away in their bid to compel Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to testify publicly on Trump’s war in Iran.Booker told Fox News Digital before the vote that he was not thinking “about this in politics” or breaking through the GOP’s floor tactics, but instead to refocus on issues that Trump promised to deal with on the campaign trail.GOP TRIGGERS MARATHON SENATE FIGHT TO EXPOSE DEMS’ OPPOSITION TO TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID BILL “We need to focus on what the issues of the people are, and put before them a president who promised to bring your prices down and keep us out of wars, who is now bringing us into more wars and driving up our prices as a result,” Booker said. “The question is, what should Congress do as a result?”But, like Sen. Tim Kaine’s, D-Va., attempt earlier this…

Following the first combat launch of its long-range Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, Lockheed Martin successfully tested an upgraded version of the weapon that is designed to hit moving vessels at sea.While the PrSM Increment 2 is part of the U.S. Army’s long-range fire program, it is designed for sea denial. It features a seeker within its navigation system that provides targeting guidance and homes in on fast-moving threats, including ships. Its new capabilities will allow the Army to “strike relocating or fleeting targets in both land and maritime environments,” according to a statement released by Lockheed. The company said the first flight test was a “major milestone” and added that missile development was “backed by significant investment,” thus advancing rapidly through initial tests. Two more tests are set to take place this year. The upgraded missile builds off the foundation of its predecessor, and both systems share common baselines. RELATEDBoth missiles are compatible with M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, as well as the M270A2 Multiple Launch Rocket System, or MLRS, which is commonly used in European countries. The missiles are designed to withstand turbulent in-flight weather conditions, and their warheads are built to deliver fragmentation effects…

We still haven’t quite finished covering all the incoming We Knife Co. models has been announcing lately – and the next up on our reporterly dance card is the Inceptus, a folder from Robert Saniscalchi that cuts loose with an unconventional blade shape. An interesting thing we’ve noticed over the years is that, sometimes, our classification of a knife’s blade can differ from that of its creator’s. In this case, We Knife Co. lists the Inceptus’s blade as a “wharncliffe,” which isn’t wrong, but in our opinion doesn’t tell the whole story. We’d call this a modified wharncliffe – a seemingly small distinction, but we think it better conveys the fact that what Saniscalchi came up with here is by no means a textbook example of the form. The Inceptus opens with either front flipper or thumb, uh, tapezoid The Inceptus’s blade has an almost tanto-like angle in the blade, a kink upwards that separates the 3.57-inch cutting edge into a primary and secondary edge. The forward edge portion – what you’d typically call the secondary edge – is actually larger and looks like it will provide all the necessary horsepower in push cut-type chores. M390 blade steel cranks all…

Most critical energy headlines from the Middle East:  Iran says upstream oil and gas assets are under attack for the first time since the war began Iraq reroutes some flows through the Ceyhan Pipeline to Turkey Iran reiterates new rules in place for Hormuz transit as traffic remains de-minimus “The blockade is now the worst disruption to oil flows ever. Real barrels are now disappearing from global oil markets, which can lead to demand destruction in the weeks to come.” Iran set to retaliate against oil/gas assets in the Gulf area, including facilities in Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE Iranian outlet Fars says the South Pars attack has sparked an “all-out economic” war  Brent crude is now above $108 a barrel *  *  * Iran Plans Counterattack on Gulf Area Energy Infrastructure Brent crude futures jumped from around $103.5/bbl to $108/bbl following Israeli airstrikes on Iran’s South Pars gas field in the Persian Gulf. This escalation in strikes underscores what Bloomberg commodities analyst Javier Blas said: “Both sides are now targeting upstream (i.e., production) oil and natural gas assets.” He asked, “Is this an attempt to escalate to de-escalate? Or is it simply a sign that escalation is spiraling out of control?” Moments ago: IRAN…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Before March Madness tips off with the first round on Thursday afternoon, millions are scrambling to put together what they believe is the perfect bracket for the men’s and women’s NCAA Tournaments.Some will fill out one, but others will try their luck with multiple brackets, mixing and matching their teams to ultimately produce what they believe is the best possible chance to win it all.One NBA All-Star believes those with a plethora of brackets under their belt are doing things the wrong way entirely. Tyrese Haliburton turned some heads in the college basketball fan space when he posted on X, “Make one bracket and stand on it.” As discourse played out in the comment section, Fox News Digital asked the Indiana Pacers guard why he feels so strongly that one bracket is the way to go this time of year.”I think it’s just so lame that people are like, ‘Oh, I made this many brackets.’ Like, dang, how many brackets do you get?” Haliburton said while highlighting his partnership with Reese’s and its March Madness Bracket Busting Campaign. “That’s not how it works. It’s because they can’t make up their mind.”As a…

Commissaries will soon start charging shoppers for paper and plastic single-use bags. Starting April 6, customers will pay 5 cents each for plastic bags and 10 cents for paper bags. The move will save the commissary system money, officials stated in their announcement about the change. It “will allow the Defense Commissary Agency to continue to offer its eligible patrons significant savings while strengthening its fiscal stewardship and reducing operating expenses,” officials stated. According to a DOD Comptroller document, the move will save the commissary system at least $17 million in fiscal 2026. But information wasn’t available about whether that $17 million represents the savings for only the six months left in the fiscal year. In 2006, the commissary agency spent about $20 million for single-use bags, according to the latest information available. The commissary agency receives about $1.5 billion per year in taxpayer dollars to operate these discounted grocery stores as a benefit for the military community. The Defense Department’s goal is an overall savings of 25% compared to commercial stores outside the gate. Officials encouraged customers to bring their own reusable bags, or purchase them from the commissary. Those stores sell a variety of reusable bags, including hot/cold…

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! Authorities in the Florida Panhandle are taking spring break by storm by sharing viral bodycam video in an effort to crack down on rowdy college students allegedly breaking the law.The Bay County Sheriff’s Office (BCSO), which has jurisdiction over hotspot Panama City, has launched a social media campaign looking to deter college students from engaging in unlawful behavior by promoting arrests online. “We appreciate visitors that respect our community and laws, but will not tolerate disorder in illegal activity,” Bay County Sheriff Tommy Ford said in a video posted to Facebook. The department is sharing clips of recent incidents stemming from spring break chaos, earning hundreds of thousands of views as officials throughout the Sunshine State grapple with another year of college students descending on their city’s beaches.VIDEO SHOWS PANICKED SPRING BREAK CROWDS FLEEING BEACH HOTSPOT AFTER REPORTS OF FIVE WEEKEND SHOOTINGS In the fourteenth episode of “Busted in the Panhandle,” BCSO takes viewers along for the ride as they break up multiple house parties and street racing events tied to spring break. A portion of the video shows a chaotic scene outside a residential home in which a college-aged man is covered in blood…

The chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee wants to develop a “must-pass” authorization bill process for the Department of Veterans Affairs similar to the legislative procedure used to approve the National Defense Authorization Act. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., kicked off a series of hearings Wednesday on legislation that would reauthorize several significant VA programs and said he wants to create a comprehensive authorization process — an omnibus-style procedure — that would ensure a yearly legislative review of all VA programs, some of which have not been reauthorized for 30 years. Bost said such oversight is needed to ensure that the VA remains accountable to its customers, taxpayers and Congress. “When programs fall short, it is the duty of this committee to ask questions, demand answers and make the legislative changes necessary to fix the problem,” Bost said. “Reauthorization is not simply a procedural exercise. It is how Congress evaluates whether programs are working as intended and whether the department is using its authorities responsibly.” Last year, the Congressional Budget Office identified more than $122 billion in expenditures at the department with lapsed authorizations. According to the office, Congress has allowed 18 authorization laws — those that set policy and…