More United States Marines and naval forces are being sent to the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to escalate.
According to US officials who spoke to CBS News, the deployment will include an amphibious ready group and a Marine expeditionary unit led by the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), an amphibious assault ship based in Japan. A unit like this typically includes about 5,000 sailors and Marines spread across several warships.
The reinforcements come shortly after Donald Trump announced that US forces had carried out major strikes on Kharg Island, destroying Iranian military infrastructure there. The island lies near the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important shipping routes for oil.
The United States Central Command, which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, reportedly requested the additional forces. The deployment was approved by Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary.
The move follows retaliatory actions by Iran after the start of the conflict on 28 February, when the US and Israel launched strikes inside Iran that killed Ali Khamenei, the country’s supreme leader at the time. Iran has since launched attacks targeting Israeli territory and US military bases across the region.
The conflict has already had global effects. Air travel hubs across the Middle East have faced disruptions, and oil prices have surged due to fears that fighting could affect shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also suggested the US Navy could soon begin escorting oil tankers through the strait to protect commercial shipping. The narrow waterway carries a large portion of the world’s oil exports.
At the same time, the US is reportedly moving parts of a missile defence system previously stationed in South Korea to the Middle East to strengthen regional protection.
Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, recently warned that Iran would continue efforts to block the Strait of Hormuz and vowed to retaliate for Iranian casualties in the conflict. He also warned neighbouring countries against hosting US military bases.
The situation remains highly volatile, with both sides signalling that further military action could take place in the coming days.
