Report: US War Department Considers Additional Troops for Middle East Deployment + Secretary of State Rubio: US Can Achieve War Objectives Without Ground Troops + Israel Strikes Arak Heavy Water Reactor; Uranium Extraction Facility; Steel Factories

For review:1. Ten U.S. service members were wounded Friday in an Iranian missile strike on Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal reported. Friday’s strike reportedly damaged multiple U.S. refueling aircraft and involved Iranian drones.2. The Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 more ground troops to the Middle East to potentially support operations in Iran in a move aimed at giving President Donald Trump more military options,  The Wall Street Journal reported Friday. 3. US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he was postponing his deadline for Iran to agree to an American proposal to end the war, setting a new date of April 6. President Trump is reported to be considering ordering a ground operation in Iran to pressure Tehran into acquiescing to American terms to end the nearly monthlong war.4. The US expects the bombing campaign in Iran to conclude within weeks, not months, and Washington can meet all its objectives without using ground troops, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday.5. The Israeli Air Force on Friday bombed two of Iran’s largest steel factories, according to Iranian media and Israeli security sources, as well as two facilities linked to Iran’s nuclear program, in moves that sparked vows of retaliation from Tehran.The Fars news agency reported that Israeli strikes hit Khuzestan Steel near Ahvaz and Mobarakeh Steel in Isfahan, two major production facilities.6. From the Iran War, Pakistan has emerged as an unexpected mediator, offering to help bring Washington and Tehran to the negotiating table.Pakistani government officials have said that their public peace effort follows weeks of quiet diplomacy, though they have provided few details. 7. The Pentagon is weighing whether to redirect weapons originally meant for Ukraine to the Middle East, as the war in Iran strains supplies of some of the U.S. military’s most critical munitions, the Washington Post reported Thursday.8. Russia is in contact with the United ‌States about a new round of talks on a Ukraine peace settlement as soon as conditions allow, the Kremlin said on Thursday."We remain open, we are in contact ​with the Americans, and we are counting on holding the ​next round of talks as soon as circumstances permit," Kremlin ⁠spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.