A US Marine expeditionary unit (MEU) of roughly 2,200 Marines is being dispatched to the Middle East on three navy ships, ABC News reports, citing two unnamed US officials.
The 31st MEU is permanently deployed to Japan, but has been ordered to head to the Mideast, in an indication of a further escalation of the Iran war.
Trump officials had long ruled out the idea of sending ground troops to the region, but have largely avoided ruling out the possibility since the outbreak of the war.
The deployment of the Marine unit doesn’t necessarily mean that the troops will be deployed on the ground in Iran, as they can also provide land, amphibious and aviation assets to military commanders in need, ABC says.
The 31st MEU also includes squads of F-35 fighter jets and MV-22 tilt rotor Osprey aircraft.
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