The US Central Command (CENTCOM) said that around 3,500 US marines and sailors have arrived in the Middle East as part of a growing military presence amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
The personnel are stationed aboard the USS Tripoli, which reached the region on March 27. The USS Tripoli serves as the flagship of an amphibious ready group, carrying marines, aircraft, and tactical assets. These forces are capable of conducting sea-based strikes, ground operations, evacuations, and rapid deployments, reported the IANS.
According to the news agency, the officials said that such units are typically used to secure strategic locations or respond quickly to emerging threats.
Part of wider military build-up
The deployment is part of a broader US military build-up in response to rising tensions with Iran. Reports suggest the Pentagon is considering sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the region, as per the IANS.
The potential deployment may include infantry units and armoured vehicles, adding to the roughly 5,000 marines and thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division already ordered to the Middle East.
Strategic focus on key locations
While exact deployment locations remain unclear, the forces are expected to be positioned within operational range of key Iranian sites, including Kharg Island, a crucial centre for the country’s oil export, according to the IANS.
Pentagon prepares for ground operations in Iran
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is preparing for weeks of ground operations in Iran, as thousands of US soldiers and Marines arrive in the Middle East for what could become a dangerous new phase of the war should US President Donald Trump choose to escalate, The Washington Post reported, according to the IANS.
Any potential ground operation would fall short of a full-scale invasion and could instead involve raids by a mixture of Special Operations forces and conventional infantry troops, the newspaper quoted officials as saying on the condition of anonymity, as per the IANS.
Such a mission could expose US personnel to an array of threats, including Iranian drones and missiles, ground fire and improvised explosives, the report noted, adding the Trump administration in recent days has vacillated between declaring that the war is winding down and threatening to amplify it.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio insisted on Friday the United States “can achieve all of our objectives without ground troops,” but the Post said planning is advanced, with one official saying: “This is not last-minute planning,” the news agency reported.
(with IANS inputs)