Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is sending an amphibious assault ship, the USS Tripoli, and its Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East, a senior U.S. official confirmed to Axios on Friday. The entire Tripoli Expeditionary Strike Group includes the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, the USS Tripoli, guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls, and guided-missile destroyer USS Rafael Peralta.
One U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told The Associated Press that roughly 2,500 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli have been ordered to deploy. The Tripoli, stationed out of Japan, will take about two weeks to reach the Middle East.
The U.S. official said U.S. Central Command asked for the new force in order to have more options for military operations against Iran. The Marine expeditionary force is moving into the region as Iran continues to target traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, driving up global oil, shipping and insurance prices.
Tripoli would join the world's largest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, as well as the USS Abraham Lincoln as part of an armada of American warships, stealth fighters and air defense systems in the region. Operation Epic Fury began nearly two weeks ago when U.S. and Israeli forces struck targets across Iran on Feb. 28, 2026.
