Around 3,500 US Marines and sailors aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have entered the US Central Command's area of responsibility in the Middle East, the military command announced on Saturday. The vessel carries transport aircraft, tactical assets and strike fighter jets, with photos showing soldiers in combat gear.
The deployment marks the latest addition to a massive US military buildup near Iran since the war began in late February. The US has sent thousands of Marines and warships to supplement the roughly 50,000 troops already stationed in the region, and reports last week indicated the Pentagon plans to dispatch at least 1,000 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division.
President Donald Trump has sent mixed signals about a potential ground offensive. On March 2, he stated he would send troops if necessary, but on March 19 he told reporters, “I’m not putting troops anywhere.” A ground campaign on Iranian soil would be the first major boots-on-the-ground operation since the 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan.
The conflict, launched jointly by the US and Israel on February 28, has engulfed the Middle East, with Iran striking Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Nearly 1,500 Iranian civilians have died, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, while 13 US servicemembers have been killed and over 200 injured, the Pentagon reports.
The war has disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, pushing oil prices above $100 a barrel. Democrats have condemned the campaign as illegal and reckless, while Republicans largely support the president, though some hold private reservations. Recent polls indicate most Americans oppose the war.
