The Pentagon is sending another Marine unit and additional warships to the Middle East as fighting with Iran continues, according to a U.S. military source cited by The Epoch Times.
The USS Boxer amphibious ready group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in San Diego, are expected to deploy through the Indo-Pacific and head toward the region. A combined amphibious ready group and Marine Expeditionary Unit can include about 5,000 sailors and Marines.
The deployment comes just days after the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit were also redirected from waters near Japan to the Middle East. The new force would join roughly 50,000 U.S. troops already in the region as joint U.S. and Israeli operations against Iran continue.
An MEU brings amphibious assault and logistics capabilities, along with air combat assets such as attack helicopters and short takeoff fighter aircraft, including the AV-8B Harrier II or F-35B Lightning II. The USS Comstock and USS Portland were also seen taking part in recent pre-deployment training exercises with the 11th MEU.
Before hostilities began, President Donald Trump had already ordered two carrier strike groups and dozens of additional strike and support aircraft to the Middle East.
So far, no U.S. ground troops have entered combat with Iranian forces. Trump pushed back on questions about sending more troops during a March 19 White House press conference, saying, “No, I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you.”
Still, concerns are growing in Washington that the conflict could expand. After a closed-door intelligence briefing on March 10, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said the United States appeared to be moving toward the possibility of deploying American troops on the ground in Iran.
Even if Marine ground forces are not sent into direct combat, the air combat elements attached to these Marine units could help replace other U.S. aircraft lost or damaged in the conflict. Three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles were shot down over Kuwait on March 1 in what officials described as a friendly fire incident.
CENTCOM also confirmed that an Air Force F-35A was damaged during combat operations over Iran on March 19, while about 10 MQ-9 Reaper drones have reportedly been shot down during the fighting.