Elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Okinawa and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli from Sasebo, Japan, have been ordered to the Middle East, a U.S. official told The Associated Press on Friday, speaking anonymously about sensitive military plans.
Marine Expeditionary Units handle amphibious landings, embassy security, civilian evacuations, and disaster relief. This deployment doesn’t signal an imminent ground operation.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the move. The unit and Tripoli—along with other ships carrying Marines—have been in the Pacific for days, per military images. Commercial satellites recently spotted Tripoli sailing alone near Taiwan, over a week from Iranian waters.
Earlier this week, the U.S. Navy had 12 ships in the Arabian Sea, including the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and eight destroyers. Tripoli’s arrival would make it the region’s second-largest vessel.
The total U.S. troop presence in the Middle East is unclear, but Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar alone hosts about 8,000 personnel.