The U.S. Department of Defense has ordered the Japan-based amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) to the Middle East. This deployment, reported on March 13, 2026, is a response to the escalating conflict with Iran, specifically targeting disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
The move is part of the ongoing Operation Epic Fury, which began in late February 2026 following strikes on Iranian military and nuclear sites.
Key Deployment Details
- Forces: Approximately 2,500 Marines from the 31st MEU (based in Okinawa) and over 2,000 Navy personnel are currently in transit.
- Composition: The Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) includes the USS Tripoli, the transport dock ships USS New Orleans and USS San Diego, and escorts like the destroyer USS Rafael Peralta.
- Capabilities: The USS Tripoli functions as a “light carrier,” equipped with F-35B Lightning II stealth fighters and MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The 31st MEU is a rapid-response force capable of amphibious landings, embassy security, and non-combatant evacuations.
- Estimated Arrival: The group was recently spotted sailing west through the Luzon Strait near Taiwan and is expected to reach the Middle East in 10 to 15 days.
Strategic Context
The deployment follows a major escalation on March 13, when President Trump announced that U.S. forces “obliterated” military targets on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export hub. While oil infrastructure was reportedly spared in that specific strike, the arrival of the Tripoli ARG provides the Pentagon with more “littoral warfare” options—such as securing outlying islands or interdicting Iranian mine-laying vessels—should Iran continue to block maritime traffic through the Strait