The Trump administration has reportedly ordered more soldiers to the Middle East amid the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran.
As Iran increases the scale of its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz, the Pentagon is now moving a Marine expeditionary unit to the region, three U.S. officials told The Wall Street Journal (WSJ). U.S. Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East, reportedly requested the expeditionary unit and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved it. Such a unit generally features up to 5,000 Marines and several warships. (RELATED: ABC News Left Out Crucial Context In Story About Iran Drone Threat To California)
The Japan-based USS Tripoli and its attached Marines are reportedly sailing toward the region where Marines are already supporting Operation Epic Fury in the Middle East, the officials told the WSJ.
The move comes as Iran’s attacks on the strait have severely reduced traffic through the strategic waterway, disrupting the global economy, driving up gas prices and posing a major military and political challenge for President Donald Trump.
Hegseth sidestepped a reporter’s query during a U.S. Department of War press briefing Friday about whether physically securing Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile is a priority mission. (RELATED: Hegseth Doesn’t Rule Out Ground Troops To Seize Iran’s Uranium)
“We’ve said from the beginning, denying Iran nuclear weapons is a core mission. We have, we retain options across the spectrum to ensure that they never do, and President Trump has said that, and that’s why this mission actually couldn’t have been possible without Midnight Hammer,” Hegseth responded.
The Secretary of War said the U.S. B-2 strikes destroyed key Iranian facilities and created the conditions for current operations, adding that Trump remains focused on eliminating Iran’s nuclear capabilities. Hegseth said the U.S. is keeping multiple options on the table after Tehran refused to give them up in negotiations.
Hegseth added that he “would never tell this group or the world what we’re willing to do or how far we’re willing to go, but we have options for sure.”
The Caller reached out to the Pentagon regarding the report which stated it does not discuss future or hypothetical movements due to operational security.
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