About 2,500 US Marines, part of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, are the first US ground troops deployed in the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran.
The unit has departed from its home port in Okinawa, Japan, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli. The Marines are expected to deploy “in theatre,” either to respond to crises or potentially to secure areas of Iranian territory, reports Al Jazeera.
Although Marines operate both on land and at sea, this marks the first significant ground troop deployment by the US in the conflict.
Military analysts say the move indicates a gradual increase in US military posture, signaling that Washington is not planning a swift end to its operations in the region.