“Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from U.S. Central Command, responsible for American forces in the Middle East, for an element of an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit, typically consisting of several warships and 5,000 Marines and sailors, the officials said,” the WSJ said.
Two officials told the Journal that the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and a contingent of Marines are already en route from Japan.
On March 11, Iran struck two oil tankers with underwater drones in the Persian Gulf near the Iraqi port of Basra. At least one person was killed and 38 were rescued, officials said. Reuters reported that the number of vessels struck in the Middle East since the start of the U.S.–Israeli operation has risen to at least 16.
Also on March 11, a Thai-flagged cargo ship caught fire and
its crew were evacuated after an attack in the Strait of Hormuz.