The Pentagon has approved the deployment of a Marine expeditionary unit of about 2,500 Marines to the Middle East as Iran steps up attacks on the Strait of Hormuz, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the move at the request of U.S. Central Command, which oversees American forces in the region, the report said.
Two U.S. officials told the Journal the unit typically consists of up to 2,500 Marines.
The deployment to the Middle East comes as Iran’s attacks on the strategic waterway have disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, affecting the global economy, driving up gas prices and adding to pressure on the Trump administration, according to the report.
A Pentagon spokesman declined to comment on the matter, the Journal reported.
The report did not say when the Marines would arrive in the region or provide further operational details.
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