The US has stepped up its military presence in the Middle East as the Iran war completes one month on Friday, with 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard the USS Tripoli arriving in the region, the US Central Command said.
The deployment adds to around 50,000 American troops already stationed there and comes amid growing speculation over whether Washington could consider sending ground troops in Iran. Track US-Iran war live updates
The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli arrived in the Middle East on March 27, CENTCOM confirmed in a post on X, noting that “US Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility.”
The Tripoli further carries a mix of transport and strike aircraft, along with amphibious and tactical combat assets.
Images released by CENTCOM show Marines in full combat gear, alongside Seahawk helicopters, Osprey transport aircraft, and an F-35 fighter jet stationed on the ship.
The USS Tripoli and elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are usually based in Japan and were conducting exercises near Taiwan before reportedly being redirected to the Middle East.
Ground invasion speculation grows
The military build-up comes even as senior US officials publicly play down the likelihood of a ground invasion.
US secretary of state Marco Rubio said Washington expects its operations against Iran to wrap up soon. “On or ahead of schedule… a matter of weeks, not months,” he told reporters after meeting G7 counterparts in France, reported news agency AFP.
Rubio maintained that the US can meet its objectives without deploying ground forces, but added that some troop movements are being made “to give the president maximum optionality and maximum opportunity to adjust the contingencies, should they emerge.”
A report by The Wall Street Journal said that US forces are likely to be positioned within striking distance of Iran, including near Kharg Island, a key oil export terminal located off the country’s coast.
However, Donald Trump has remained non-committal on the issue for weeks, with multiple US media reports suggesting he is considering sending at least 10,000 additional troops to the region.
The situation remains volatile across the Gulf. A recent Iranian attack on an airbase in Saudi Arabia left two US personnel seriously wounded and injured at least 10 others, according to a US official. Drone and missile strikes have continued across the region for over a month now.
Meanwhile, the front page of Tehran Times carried a stark warning to Washington, headlined “Welcome To Hell,” cautioning that any US troops entering Iranian territory would “leave only in a coffin,” signalling a sharp escalation in rhetoric amid growing speculation over a possible ground invasion.
