The United States will deploy roughly 5,000 more Marines and sailors to the Middle East as the war with Iran intensifies, NBC News quoted three U.S. officials as saying.
The deployment includes an amphibious ready group and a marine expeditionary unit (ARG/MEU) that includes approximately 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors, officials said, according to the news release.
Crisis Response Unit activated
The Marines assigned to the deployment are part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Japan. The unit is the United States Marine Corps’ only permanently forward deployed MEU.
Marine expeditionary units are intended for rapid response missions to crises, including evacuating civilians from conflict zones, protecting embassies, and establishing entry points for other military forces.
Amphibious ships moving west
The sailors are attached to the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which includes three ships:
– USS New Orleans (LPD-18)
CENTCOM requested additional forces
Officials said the deployment was requested by United States Central Command as part of contingency planning for the conflict.
“Part of the plan for this war was to have the Marine Corps available to provide deployment capabilities,” one US official said.
The move adds to a growing US military presence in the region as Washington prepares for a number of possible contingencies related to the ongoing conflict.
Iran shows determination despite losing lead
The Islamic Republic of Iran is determined to demonstrate that it remains intact and in control, despite the death of its supreme leader Ali Khamenei at the start of the US-Israeli military campaign on February 28.
Mojtaba Khamenei, son of the late leader, was named the new supreme leader. However, he has remained absent from the public eye and is reported to be injured. The situation has heightened Washington and Tel Aviv’s focus on him, suggesting that both countries may target him directly.
US bounty on key Iranian leaders
The US government has announced a $10 million reward for information on the whereabouts of Mojtaba Khamenei, along with nine other senior Iranian officials, including the interior minister and the intelligence minister.
“These individuals command and control elements of Iran’s military and intelligence apparatus,” the US State Department said in a statement, referring to the roles of officials in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Commenting on the campaign via social media, President Donald Trump described the killing of Iran’s leadership as a “great honor” and added that the targeted figures were “deranged scumbags.”
Tensions in the Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil reserves pass. The move has sparked global concern over oil supplies, as the strait connects the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean and is a critical bottleneck for energy trade.
US and Israeli forces continue to closely monitor the situation, with military officials stressing readiness to respond to any escalation.
