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The United States is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran reached its third week, according to a Reuters report published Friday.
Citing three U.S. officials, the report said the deployments aim to bolster military capacity in the region, though no decision has been made to send ground troops into Iran.
The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the additional forces would enhance readiness for potential future operations, without specifying their exact role.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday that Washington is not planning to send ground troops to Iran.
“If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you. But I'm not putting troops,” Trump told reporters.
According to Newsmax report, the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deploying ahead of schedule from the U.S. West Coast.
The Boxer group, comprising the USS Boxer, USS Portland and USS Comstock, carries about 2,500 Marines, with total personnel including sailors reaching around 4,000.
Once joined with the USS Tripoli group already en route, the combined deployment would bring roughly 8,000 additional service members to the region.
The troops were reportedly moved up by about three weeks, with some cutting short leave to accelerate deployment.
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The additional forces will supplement approximately 50,000 U.S. troops already stationed in the Middle East.
The deployments will also place two Marine Expeditionary Units in the region, with one unit dispatched earlier from the Indo-Pacific expected to arrive in the coming days.
Such units can be used for a range of missions, including airstrikes from amphibious ships or potential ground operations if required.
The USS Gerald R. Ford, which recently suffered a fire, is heading to Souda Bay in Greece for repairs after more than nine months at sea.
A U.S. official told Reuters that the USS George H.W. Bush is expected to replace the Ford in the region.
The deployments come as hostilities intensify following joint U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran launched on Feb. 28, which have killed around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, according to Iranian authorities.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq and Gulf countries hosting U.S. military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
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