WSJ: US defence chief greenlights troop deployment to Middle East

US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved a request from US Central Command to deploy an amphibious ready group and attached Marine expeditionary unit to the Middle East, The Wall Street Journal reports, citing three US officials.

The unit typically consists of several warships and about 5,000 Marines as Iran steps up attacks on the Strait of Hormuz. The Japan-based USS Tripoli and its attached Marines are now headed for the Middle East, according to the officials. 

Marines are already in the Middle East supporting the Iran operation.

The deployment comes as Iran’s strikes on the Strait have halted traffic through the vital waterway, disrupting global trade, pushing up fuel prices, and presenting a significant military and political challenge for President Trump. A Pentagon spokesperson declined to comment.

By Jeyhun Aghazada