United States to Deploy Thousands of Marines and Additional Warships to Middle East

The United States will deploy thousands of Marines and additional warships to the Middle East region. The deployment is intended to strengthen troop numbers and air power as Washington intensifies combined attacks with Israel against Iran.

The Pentagon, or US Department of Defence, as reported by AFP and Al Arabiya on Saturday, 14 March 2026, has approved the deployment of a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which typically comprises several warships and 5,000 US Marines, to the Middle East.

The MEU being deployed to the Middle East, according to several US officials, is drawn from the Indo-Pacific. The deployment will also include amphibious vessels and a number of fighter jets.

The Amphibious Ready Group and Marine Expeditionary Unit, also known as ARG/MEU, typically consists of approximately 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors.

According to a Wall Street Journal report citing several US officials, the USS Tripoli warship based in Japan and the accompanying Marines are currently in transit to the Middle East region.

In operations against Iran, the report notes, Marines have already been deployed.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the additional Marines request was made by US Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US military operations in the Middle East, and was approved by US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.

The United States and Israel have launched large-scale combined attacks against Iran since 28 February.

Tehran has responded with waves of missile and drone strikes against targets in Israel and Gulf states that host US military assets.

Additionally, Tehran has targeted vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a strategically important shipping lane that has been closed since the conflict erupted.