The U.S. military is deploying 3 warships and about 2,500 Marines to the Middle East.

On March 20, Xinhua News Agency reported from Washington that the U.S. military is deploying three warships and approximately 2,500 Marines to the Middle East.

The report cited U.S. officials saying that the USS Boxer amphibious assault ship, the USS Comstock dock landing ship, and the USS Portland amphibious transport dock, along with about 2,500 Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, have departed from San Diego, California, and are heading to the Middle East.

According to Daqi News, the departure of the USS Boxer was earlier than originally planned in response to the Pentagon's request to enhance combat capabilities in the Middle East. The USS Boxer is currently located off the East Coast of the Pacific, approximately 12,000 nautical miles from the Gulf of Oman, which means it will take at least three weeks to reach the combat zone, indicating that the military has planned for the Navy and Marines to maintain a longer-term military presence in the region.

U.S. media previously reported that the Department of Defense has dispatched the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship carrying the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit from Japan to the Middle East. Earlier this week, the USS Tripoli had already sailed to waters near Singapore.

Additionally, according to a report from Axios on the 20th, the Trump administration is considering occupying or blockading the Iranian oil export hub of Khark Island to pressure Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. The report stated that if approved, such an operation would require more troops, and the White House and Pentagon are considering sending more troops soon.