About 2,500 Marines from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit are being sent as the first US ground forces in the US Israel war against Iran. They are departing from their base in Okinawa, Japan, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli.
This ship serves as the launch point for the Marines to enter the battlefield, whether to respond to crises or potentially occupy parts of Iranian territory, reports Al Jazeera.
Although Marines operate both on land and at sea, they are being described as the first ground troops deployed in the conflict.
The move signals that Washington is gradually expanding its military involvement and does not appear to be preparing to end the war quickly.
