USS Tripoli, embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrive in Middle East

The Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit entered CENTCOM waters Friday.

Defense NewsJ.D. Simkins2026-03-28 16:43查看原文 ↗

U.S. Marines and sailors assigned to the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group arrived in U.S. Central Command waters on Friday, the command announced .

The group, led by the America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, departed earlier this month from its homeport of Sasebo, Japan. Also included in the arriving force is the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit .

The Tripoli group began steaming toward the Middle East after U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly approved a CENTCOM request for additional support to help curtail Iran’s regional attacks .

Announcement of the group’s arrival comes one day after a dozen U.S. service members were wounded in an Iranian missile and drone strike on Prince Sultan Airbase in Saudi Arabia, the Wall Street Journal first reported . Two of the 12 personnel are in serious condition.

That strike, which reportedly damaged multiple U.S. refueling aircraft, comes as the U.S. military continues to pour assets into the region.

The Pentagon on Wednesday confirmed elements from the 82nd Airborne Division headquarters and a brigade combat team are slated to deploy to the Middle East. Based out of Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd acts as the Army’s rapid-response force and is often among the first units sent to respond to emerging crises.

The 31st MEU, meanwhile, includes a ground combat element, which features a battalion landing team — an infantry battalion and combat support elements — of around 1,100 Marines and sailors.

Also included is the MEU’s aviation combat element, which features tiltrotor and fixed-wing aircraft, transport and attack helicopters, ground support assets and air defense teams.

A combat logistics battalion with equipment and personnel capable of sustaining a MEU in austere environments for up to 15 days will also join the effort.

The 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, has also been rumored to serve as a potential reinforcement. The group deployed in recent weeks and is currently operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of operations in the eastern Pacific.

The U.S. military on Saturday also announced that the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford , which had been deployed in U.S.-Israeli operations against Iran, pulled into port in Split, Croatia, for maintenance.

Thirteen service members have been killed in action and nearly 300 wounded during Operation Epic Fury, a joint undertaking by U.S. and Israeli militaries against the Islamic Republic that began on Feb. 28.

The majority of the wounded have since returned to duty, according to U.S. Central Command. Prior to Friday’s attack, 10 U.S. troops reportedly remained in serious condition.

Military Times reporters Riley Ceder and Eve Sampson contributed to this report.

J.D. Simkins is Editor-in-Chief of Military Times and Defense News, and a Marine Corps veteran of the Iraq War.

美国中央司令部宣布，隶属于的黎波里两栖戒备群的美国海军陆战队员和水兵于周五抵达美国中央司令部水域。

这支由“美利坚”级两栖攻击舰“的黎波里”号率领的舰队，于本月初从其母港日本佐世保出发。随舰抵达的部队还包括舰载的第31海军陆战队远征部队。

据报道，在国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯批准了中央司令部提出的提供额外支持以帮助遏制伊朗在该地区发动袭击的请求后，的黎波里集团开始向中东进发。

据《华尔街日报》率先报道，就在一天前，伊朗对沙特阿拉伯苏丹王子空军基地发动导弹和无人机袭击，造成12名美军人员受伤。随后，该小组宣布抵达。其中两人伤势严重。

据报道，此次袭击损坏了多架美国加油机，而此时美国军方正继续向该地区投入大量资源。

五角大楼周三证实，第82空降师司令部及一个旅级战斗队的部分人员将部署至中东。第82空降师驻扎在北卡罗来纳州布拉格堡，是美国陆军的快速反应部队，通常是首批被派往应对突发危机的部队之一。

与此同时，第 31 海军陆战队远征部队包括一个地面作战分队，该分队由一个营级登陆队、一个步兵营和作战支援分队组成，约有 1100 名海军陆战队员和水兵。

此外，还包括海军陆战队远征部队的航空作战力量，其中包括倾转旋翼机和固定翼飞机、运输和攻击直升机、地面支援力量和防空部队。

一支装备精良、人员配备齐全的作战后勤营也将加入行动，该营能够在艰苦环境下维持一支海军陆战队远征部队长达 15 天的运转。

隶属于“拳师”号两栖戒备群的第11海军陆战队远征部队也被传可能作为增援力量参与行动。该部队最近几周已部署完毕，目前正在美国第三舰队位于东太平洋的作战区域执行任务。