In addition, the US Department of Defense is moving Marines and several warships to the Middle East, the Wall Street Journal reported on March 13, citing three US officials.
According to them, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the request of US Central Command, which is responsible for US forces in the Middle East. The command requested a rapid response landing party, which usually consisted of several ships and five thousand marines, the Wall Street Journal wrote.
Two sources in the newspaper said that the landing ship Tripoli, with marines on board, was heading from Japan to the Middle East. WSJ interviewers noted that Marines are already in the Middle East.
The source told the Associated Press at the same time I mentionedThe United States will send 2,500 Marines and at least one ship, the Tripoli, to the Middle East.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment.
As the Wall Street Journal points out, the United States took such measures because Iran’s attacks paralyzed the Strait of Hormuz, causing chaos in the global economy and rising gasoline prices.
The Associated Press indicates that this is an important movement of forces, but it does not necessarily indicate that the United States is planning a ground operation.