US deploys 5,000 Marines, sailors to Mideast to expand options in Iran war

About 2,500 additional US Marines and 2,500 sailors are deploying to the Middle East as the war in Iran continues, NBC reported citing three US officials, in a move aimed at expanding military options for commanders in the region.

“Part of the plan for this war was to have marines available to provide options for use,” a US official was quoted as saying.

The personnel form an Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit, known as an ARG/MEU, the report said.

The Marines belong to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Japan and the Marine Corps’ only permanently forward-deployed MEU.

These units are trained for rapid crisis response operations, including evacuating civilians from dangerous areas and protecting US embassies. They are also designed to be among the first forces on the ground, capable of securing areas and preparing them for follow-on missions by other military units such as special operations forces.

The sailors are assigned to the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, which includes the USS San Diego, USS Tripoli and USS New Orleans. The ships had recently been operating in the Philippine Sea but are now moving west toward the Middle East.

According to one US official, the deployment was requested by US Central Command to ensure Marines are available as commanders weigh potential next steps in the conflict.