CONFIRMED: CENTCOM Announces 3,500 Marines And Sailors Arrive To Middle East

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In a post on X, the U.S. CENTCOM announced the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and
the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, composed of both Marines and sailors, has arrived in the Middle East.

CENTCOM wrote, “U.S. Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, March 27.”

“The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about 3,500 Sailors and Marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets,” added CENTCOM.

Take a look:

The Hill had more details to add:

U.S. sailors and Marines aboard the USS Tripoli arrived at the U.S. Central Command (Centcom) area in the Middle East on Friday.

Centcom stated Saturday that the flagship delivered about 3,500 sailors and Marines from the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, along with “transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets.”

The Pentagon last week reportedly sped upthe deployment of thousands more Marines and two warships to the region. The San Diego-based USS Boxer, carrying at least 2,200 Marines with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, departed Wednesday and is less than a month away from reaching the Centcom area.

Both ships will be joined by the USS New Orleans, which was scheduled to arrive Friday in the region.

The military buildup in the Middle East comes amid calls for President Trump to not deploy boots on the ground as part of “Operation Epic Fury.” Trump has said he does not intend to send troops to fight, though he has floated the idea of taking over Iran’s crucial crude export storage depot, a tactic that would require U.S. ground troops.

The Wall Street Journal reports that more troops may soon be on the way to the Middle East:

Read the WSJ’s full report here:

The Pentagon is looking at sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to give President Trump more military options even as he weighs peace talks with Tehran, Defense Department officials with knowledge of the planning said.

Trump earlier said he was pausing strikes on Iran’s energy sector for 10 more days, to April 6, so negotiations can take place beyond his previous Friday deadline. Peace talk mediators said Iran didn’t ask for the additional time. Trump said the extension was at Iran’s request.

Iran allowed several Pakistan-flagged oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, a gesture Trump called a “present” to the U.S. that shows Iran’s leaders are serious about negotiating.

The Senate Armed Services Committee is planning to hold its first public hearing on the Trump administration’s war with Iran—but not before mid-April when senators return from their spring recess.

Pakistan said the U.S. and Iran were engaged in indirect talks through messages it was relaying, and that Tehran was considering Washington’s proposals.

Israel said earlier that it killed the commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Navy, who was “directly responsible” for mining and blocking the strait, in overnight strikes. The head of U.S. Central Command called on every Iranian in the navy to abandon their posts or risk death.



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