New York, March 29 – The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that a task force of 3,500 Marines and sailors has arrived in the Middle East.
"U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard the USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility on March 27," CENTCOM said in a brief post on the social media platform X on Saturday, according to Xinhua news agency.
The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which consists of approximately 3,500 sailors and Marines, in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets, CENTCOM said in the post.
The arrival is part of a broader U.S. military buildup related to the ongoing conflict with Iran, with amphibious forces capable of conducting both sea-based strikes and ground operations, online news portal ynetnews.com reported on Saturday, adding that such units are typically used for rapid deployments, including securing strategic locations, evacuations, or potential assaults on coastal targets.
The Wall Street Journal reported earlier on Thursday that the Pentagon was considering deploying up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to give U.S. President Donald Trump more military options beyond diplomacy.
The force, likely to include infantry and armored vehicles, would be added to the roughly 5,000 Marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the region, according to the report, citing Department of Defense officials.
It was unclear exactly where the forces would be deployed in the Middle East, but they are expected to be within striking distance of Iran and its Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub, the WSJ report added.