The Pentagon is redeploying the USS Tripoli amphibious assault ship to the Middle East as the American military works to dislodge Iranian influence over the vital Strait of Hormuz.
The Tripoli, which resembles an aircraft carrier but is smaller and operates closer to shore, is departing Japan with an attached Marine expeditionary unit consisting of roughly 5,000 Marines and sailors, the Wall Street Journal first reported.
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit will take about two weeks to arrive in the Middle East, Fox News chief national sec Jennifer Griffin reported, adding that a smaller contingent of about 2,500 Marines are also part of the repositioning.
“Due to operational security, we do not discuss future or hypothetical movements,” a Pentagon official told The Post.
