A US amphibious assault vessel carrying thousands of expeditionary forces has arrived in the Middle East, US Central Command said Saturday.
"US Sailors and Marines aboard USS Tripoli (LHA 7) arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility, March 27," CENTCOM said in a statement.
The USS Tripoli serves as the flagship for an expeditionary force of about 3,500 sailors and Marines, along with transport and strike fighter aircraft and amphibious and tactical assets, the command said.
The deployment comes as the US and Israel continue joint strikes on Iran that began Feb. 28, killing more than 1,340 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, along with Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation.
