31st MEU with 2,200 Marines Ordered to Strait of Hormuz Aboard USS Tripoli ARG

The Pentagon ordered 2,200 Marines of the 31st MEU aboard the USS Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group from Sasebo, Japan to the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury. The supplemental force includes up to 5,000 total personnel and multiple warships. The deployment places a Marine rapid-response force near the Strait of Hormuz as Iranian attacks on commercial shipping escalate, signaling preparation for potential forced-passage or boarding operations.