The A-10s were equipped with weapons capable of targeting Iranian fast attack boats and other maritime targets. Colin Kahl said the incidents had “the highest attention” of the Defense Department.įollowing the attempted seizures, the US began flying A-10 attack aircraft over the Strait of Hormuz, off Iran’s southern coast, according to a senior defense official. In both cases, a US Navy destroyer arrived on scene, forcing the Iranian Navy vessel to sail away from the area.Īt the time, recently retired Under Secretary of Defense for Policy Dr.

The 26th MEU, which is special operations capable, and the Bataan ARG, both of which are based on the East Coast, are currently deployed in the Atlantic.Įarlier this month, the US intervened to stop Iran from seizing two tankers in the Gulf of Oman, including one instance in which an Iranian vessel opened fire on a tanker. The Pentagon did not specify which forces would be deployed.

Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, said the forces would add “unique capabilities” to the region in order to “further safeguard the free flow of international commerce and uphold the rules based international order.” The new forces will consist of an amphibious readiness group and a marine expeditionary unit – known as an ARG and MEU, respectively – which typically consists of three ships and approximately 2,400 Marines. This latest deployment comes after the Pentagon said earlier this week that it would be sending F-35 and F-16 fighter jets to the Middle East, as well as the USS Thomas Hudner, a guided missile destroyer.

The US is deploying thousands of Marines and additional forces to the Middle East following recent Iranian attempts to seize commercial shipping vessels, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

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