WASHINGTON DC — The United States is deploying thousands of additional Marines and several warships, including the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, to the Middle East as the war with Iran enters its third week with no end in sight, U.S. officials have confirmed.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved a request from U.S. Central Command for an element of an amphibious ready group and its attached Marine Expeditionary Unit to help combat Iran’s ongoing regional attacks
. The reinforcement includes approximately 2,500 Marines and sailors from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Japan, aboard the USS Tripoli and supporting warships.
The Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group includes the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ships USS New Orleans and USS San Diego, and the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The 31st MEU brings a ground combat element featuring an infantry battalion of around 1,100 Marines and an aviation combat element with F-35 fighter jets, tiltrotor aircraft, transport and attack helicopters, and air defense teams.
The deployment comes as Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz to commercial shipping, through which about one-fifth of the world’s oil passes daily.
Iranian forces have continued launching missile and drone attacks on U.S. bases and Gulf state infrastructure.
U.S. Central Command announced that American forces have struck roughly 6,000 targets inside Iran since the war began, eliminating over 60 Iranian ships.
Pentagon officials briefed senators that the first six days of Operation Epic Fury cost approximately $11.3 billion.
At least 13 U.S. service members have been killed during combat actions, with around 140 wounded.
An Air Force KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed during operations, killing all six crew members in an incident not caused by hostile fire.
President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that U.S. Navy escorting of tankers through the Strait of Hormuz “will happen soon”.
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