WASHINGTON: The United States will send more warships and thousands of marines to the Middle East to boost security amid Iranian attempts to seize commercial ships in the region, the US officials said.
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday accorded approval to the deployment of the USS Bataan amphibious readiness group and the 26th Marine Expeditional Unit (MEU) to the Gulf region. The readiness group consists of 3 ships, including the Bataan, an amphibious assault vessel. An expeditional unit usually consists of nearly 2,500 Marines, western media reported on Friday.
US forces to increase maritime capability in Middle East
The US Central Command (USCC) said in an announcement that the deployment would inrease the maritime capability in Middle East.
Along with the Bataan, the group includes 2 other warships, the the USS Carter Hall and the USS Mesa Verde. The deployment comes after the decisions in recent weeks to deploy the USS Thomas Hudner, a destroyer, and a number of F-35 and F-16 fighter palnes in the region. There also have been A-10 attack aircraft in the region for several weeks.
General Erik Kurilla, who heads USCC, said the additional forces would provide unique capabilities, which alongside the partner countries of US in the region, further safeguard the free passage of international trade and protect the rules based world order, as well as deter Iranian destabilizing activities in the region.
