Over 3,000 U.S. troops deployed to the Middle East amid the war in Iran have now arrived in the region, U.S. Central Command said on Saturday.
CENTCOM announced that the USS Tripoli and its 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit have reached their “area of responsibility.” The Pentagon sent the warship and the MEU to the Middle East earlier this month.
The deployment consists of about 3,500 sailors and Marines, “transport and strike fighter aircraft,” and “amphibious assault and tactical assets,” according to CENTCOM.
The troops are part of a recent surging of assets to the region as the war has hit its one-month mark.
Last week, the Pentagon also sent the USS Boxer and its 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, a deployment consisting of roughly 2,200 Marines. They are due to reach the region in early April.
The role of the over 5,000 troops is currently unclear, but their deployment has raised fears the United States may be looking to launch ground operations in Iran.
President Donald Trump has not entirely ruled out that prospect, and the Pentagon is reportedly prepping plans for a “final blow” in Iran that could include the use of ground forces.
Much of those are dependent on how the negotiations with Iran play out and if it reopens the Strait of Hormuz.
Regarding the latter, Iran has allowed some ships to pass through in the past week, including from Pakistan, India, Russia, China, Iraq, Malaysia, and Thailand.
IRAN ALLOWS 20 PAKISTANI SHIPS TO SAIL THROUGH STRAIT OF HORMUZ
But Iran’s military is still insisting the strait is closed.
In the event it isn’t reopened by April 6, Trump has also threated to bomb Iran’s power plants, in what would be a significant escalation.
