US deploys additional forces to the Middle East amid Iran tensions

The US is sending the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and at least 2,200 troops to the Middle East, US media report, as tensions with Iran escalate.

According to the Washington Post and USNI News, the USS Tripoli—currently patrolling near the Philippines—will redeploy to the region, arriving by the end of March. The vessel, capable of carrying up to 5,000 personnel along with helicopters, fighter jets, and smaller boats, will join existing US naval forces engaged in operations against Iran.

A number of smaller support vessels will accompany the ship, reinforcing the two aircraft carriers already operating in the area. The exact number of additional troops has not been confirmed, though reports suggest a minimum of 2,200 personnel will be involved.

The USS Tripoli, part of the America-class amphibious assault ships, typically operates closer to shore than traditional aircraft carriers, providing flexibility for coastal and expeditionary missions.

The deployment follows a series of US airstrikes on Iranian targets, including a March 1 attack on Kharg Island, Iran’s primary oil export terminal. The conflict has so far claimed the lives of 13 US service members, with six killed in a March 1 strike on a US military base in Kuwait.

Meanwhile, the war has become a focal point in the US midterm elections. Republican fundraising efforts, led by former President Donald Trump, have included offers of “exclusive” national security briefings in exchange for campaign donations—a move critics call “deeply shameful.” Democrats in the House Foreign Affairs Committee condemned the use of imagery from a dignified transfer ceremony for fallen soldiers in a fundraising email, calling it an exploitation of military sacrifice for political gain.

The White House and Republican Party have not responded to requests for comment on the matter.