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US 31st MEU arrives Middle East — CENTCOM confirms 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard USS Tripoli ARG
·Middle East (location undisclosed — operational security)
CENTCOM officially confirmed the USS Tripoli's arrival in the Middle East, stating approximately 3,500 Marines and sailors aboard — higher than the initial 2,500 figure. The group includes transport and strike fighter aircraft, amphibious assault and tactical assets. USS Tripoli is the flagship for the contingent, deployed for Hormuz reopening mission.
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU), regularly stationed at Camp Hansen and Camp Foster in Okinawa, Japan, arrived in the Middle East on Saturday March 28 after Trump ordered its deployment. The unit comprises approximately 2,500 Marines aboard the USS Tripoli amphibious ready group, accompanied by an additional 2,500 sailors. US military officials confirmed the arrival but declined to disclose the specific location for operational security reasons. The Marines are expected to support Trump's stated mission of reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which Iranian naval forces have largely closed to international shipping since the war's opening. The 31st MEU specializes in amphibious operations and is one of the most forward-deployed Marine units in the US military, trained for rapid response across the Indo-Pacific and Middle East. Its arrival alongside the existing USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group significantly increases US military options in the region.
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Actor responses
US deploys 31st MEU (2,500 Marines, USS Tripoli ARG) to Middle East as part of Trump's Hormuz reopening mission; location withheld for operational security
IRGC Navy has not specifically commented on 31st MEU arrival; Iran maintains naval assets in Hormuz area in ongoing blockade posture
Sources