US Navy and Marine Corps complete deployment of 3,500 troops to Middle East, stepping up pressure on Iran

According to The Financial News, the US military announced on the 28th (local time) that it has completed the additional deployment of about 3,500 Navy and Marine Corps personnel to the Middle East.
United States Central Command (CENTCOM), which oversees US forces in the Middle East, stated on its X (social network) account that "on the 27th, US Navy and Marine Corps forces aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) arrived in the CENTCOM area of responsibility."
The ship serves as the flagship of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (31st MEU), which together comprise about 3,500 sailors and Marines. CENTCOM explained that it operates various tactical assets in conjunction with them, including transport aircraft, fighter jets, and amphibious assault capabilities.
Marine expeditionary units are typically deployed for missions such as amphibious assaults that require moving from ship to shore and for large-scale evacuation operations. They include both ground and air combat elements, and some units receive special operations training, Cable News Network (CNN) reported.
US President Donald Trump previously announced that he would postpone strikes on Iranian power facilities and seek negotiations with Iran until April 6.
However, even as this is underway, thousands of additional Marines from expeditionary units and elite Army forces are being sent to the Middle East. Observers see this as an effort to increase troop levels in the region during negotiations and to prepare for the possibility of ground combat.
The United States is nonetheless continuing its attacks on Iranian forces and military facilities.
CENTCOM stated that since operations began on the 28th of last month through this morning, more than 11,000 targets have been struck and over 150 Iranian naval vessels have been destroyed or damaged.
chlee1@fnnews.com Lee Chang-hoon Reporter