Another US warship joining Iran war? USS Tripoli is moving more Marines to Middle East: Report
US-Iran war: The United States has reportedly sent another warship, the USS Tripoli, to the Middle East. It is carrying Marines from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU). A warship was tracked moving through the South China Sea and reaching Singapore.
USS Tripoli tracked reaching Singapore
The US is moving more troops to the Middle East as another Navy warship with Marines and sailors was spotted reaching the Malacca Strait off Singapore. Maritime tracking data showed Tuesday that the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was reaching the southwestern edge of the South China Sea, CNN reported, citing AIS tracking data.
Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit being sent on USS Tripoli
Earlier, The Wall Street Journal reported that America is expected to send more Marines to the Middle East on the Tripoli. The Marines are part of the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) and are being transported following Pentagon orders. The MEU is a rapid-response force of 2,200 personnel. Officials did not specify to CNN where exactly in the Middle East the Marines were being taken to.
USS Tripoli tracked moving through the South China Sea
Marinetraffic.com tracked an "unspecified US warship" leaving Okinawa on March 11. It was then observed moving through the South China Sea and going towards Singapore at a speed of 35 kilometres per hour. It is the lead ship in an amphibious ready group, which includes amphibious transport docks USS New Orleans and USS San Diego.
USS Tripoli is used to move troops to the shore
The MEU is a rapid-response force comprising 2,200 personnel. There are four groups within the body: command, ground combat, air combat and logistics combat. It has mostly been used to carry out raids and assaults, specifically for taking troops to the shore. Some units are trained for special operations as well.
USS Tripoli carries F-35 stealth fighters and MV-22 Osprey
USS Tripoli is based in Sasebo, Japan, and is a small aircraft carrier. It is 850 feet long and displaces 45,000 tons of water to stay afloat. The Tripoli carries F-35 stealth fighters and MV-22 Osprey transports, besides landing craft used to move troops to the shore. It is not known whether the USS New Orleans and USS San Diego are also moving with the Tripoli.
US warships USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford are in the Middle East
Around 50,000 US troops are already in the Middle East fighting the war against Iran, the US Central Command said. The US had earlier sent USS Abraham Lincoln and USS Gerald R Ford to the region. More than 16 ships are stationed in the Arabian Sea, Red Sea and eastern Mediterranean, including several Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with long-range missile capabilities.
Israel kills Iran's security chief Ali Larijani
The US-Iran war started on February 28. Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed on day 1 of the strikes, which also injured his son Mojtaba Khamenei, who was named the new Supreme Leader. On Tuesday, Israel announced that it had killed Iran's security chief Ali Larijani and Basij paramilitary force commander Gholamreza Soleimani.
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