this movement coincides with the moment when the USA is moving more warships to that region
The Pentagon is sending a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the Middle East, CNN reported.
It is a rapid response unit traditionally used in missions such as large-scale evacuations and amphibious operations, and also has ground and air combat components.
To CNN, three officials familiar with the matter confirmed that the deployed unit is normally made up of around 2,500 marines and sailors. Actions involving the participation of these troops usually involve movements from ship to land, including “raids” and assaults.
The presence of a MEU offers commanders a wider range of options for a variety of contingencies, one of the sources said.
According to information updated by the Guardian, the ship USS Tripoli and the group of marines associated with it, based in Japan, are now on their way to the Middle East.
The news, initially released by the Wall Street Journal, highlights that this move coincides with the moment when the US is moving more warships to that region, as Iran intensifies its attacks on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
The request was made by the United States Central Command (Centcom), which called for the sending of an amphibious group together with the Marine rapid response unit and approved by the North American Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth.
Although Trump administration officials have already stated that there are no plans to deploy ground forces to Iran, they have also refused to rule out that possibility.
