WASHINGTON: The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered the deployment of additional Marines and naval assets to the Middle East as tensions with Iran continue to intensify, according to The Wall Street Journal quoting the U.S. officials.
The Pentagon approved the movement of an amphibious ready group and its accompanying Marine expeditionary unit to support forces already operating in the region. The deployment typically includes several warships and roughly 5,000 Marines and sailors.
BREAKING: Around 5,000 more U.S. marines and sailors are deploying to the Middle East, reports Sky’s U.S. partner network NBC News.https://t.co/nYFAYyInWo
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Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the move following a request from United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees U.S. military operations across the Middle East.
Among the units being redirected is the USS Tripoli, currently based in Japan with embarked Marines. The additional forces are expected to reinforce U.S. military presence as Iranian attacks increase around the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz — a key route for global oil shipments.
The reinforcement comes nearly two weeks after the launch of the U.S.-led military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury, aimed at countering Iran’s missile, drone and naval capabilities.
U.S. officials say recent Iranian strikes targeting shipping lanes and allied forces in the region have disrupted commercial traffic and heightened concerns in global energy markets.
Meanwhile, Donald Trump said it was unlikely that an internal uprising in Iran would occur in the near future, suggesting that he would know “when the war should end.” In a series of statements, Trump said the U.S. military campaign was focused on neutralizing what he described as threats from Iran’s military infrastructure.
The conflict also saw new casualties after a U.S. military refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq on Thursday. According to CENTCOM, all six crew members aboard the KC-135 Stratotanker were killed.
Military officials said the crash followed an unspecified incident involving two aircraft operating in what was described as “friendly airspace.” The second aircraft involved landed safely.
The latest fatalities raise the U.S. death toll in the conflict to at least 13 service members. Of those, seven were killed in combat operations, while others died in operational incidents.
The Pentagon has also reported around 140 U.S. service members injured during the ongoing campaign, including eight who suffered severe injuries.
Despite the losses, U.S. officials say the reinforcement of forces in the region is intended to strengthen operational capabilities and maintain maritime security as the confrontation with Iran continues.
