U.S. amphibious assault ship and Marines based in Japan redeployed to Middle East

With U.S. President Donald Trump signaling a week-long barrage of actions against Iran, Washington has decided to send an amphibious assault ship and its attached Marine expeditionary unit, which had been deployed in Japan, to the Middle East. In Japan, concern is growing that tensions in the Middle East could spill over and affect security in Asia.
Fox News reported on the 14th, citing U.S. defense officials, that the USS Tripoli (LHA-7), an amphibious assault ship based at United States Fleet Activities Sasebo in Nagasaki Prefecture, and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU) stationed in Okinawa Prefecture will be dispatched to the Middle East. An additional force of about 2,500 troops is expected to be deployed. The redeployment was requested by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees the Middle East, and the USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is expected to take one to two weeks to arrive in theater.
The USS Tripoli (LHA-7) has a full-length flight deck and can carry Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II (F-35) stealth fighters, playing a key role in amphibious operations. The 31st MEU includes ground and aviation elements and is trained to conduct special operations and related missions. It has previously been deployed to conflicts such as the War in Afghanistan and the Iraq War.
The United States Department of Defense (DoD) told The Asahi Shimbun, "We cannot comment on future or hypothetical troop movements." According to Axios, a U.S. official explained that the move is intended to give Washington more options in conducting operations against Iran.
Associated Press (AP) noted that while Marine expeditionary units are trained to carry out amphibious assaults, they can also reinforce embassy security, evacuate civilians, and conduct disaster relief operations. With Trump having declared a "very strong strike on Iran" and U.S. troop reinforcements continuing, this deployment is expected to become a turning point in the current conflict.
Meanwhile, Nihon Keizai Shimbun (The Nikkei) reported, "After moving the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, which had been deployed to the South China Sea, to the Middle East for strikes against Iran, the U.S. military is now even shipping out the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system that had been operated by United States Forces Korea (USFK) to the Middle East," adding, "There are growing concerns that this could affect security in Asia."
sjmary@fnnews.com Reporter