Deployment of US Marines may be attempt to ‘force Tehran to capitulate’
A view of oil facilities on the Kharg island on the Gulf, about 1,250km (776 miles) south of Tehran, in February 2016 [FIle: Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images]
Deployment of US Marines may be attempt to ‘force Tehran to capitulate’
By Rosiland Jordan Reporting from Washington, DC
Analysts are suggesting that the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is leaving their home port in Japan for the Middle East, may be not just the first use of ground troops in the US’ war on Iran, but also that these troops could be used to take over control of the oil refinery part of Kharg Island – and essentially remove part of Iran’s ability to function economically.
The idea, according to these analysts, is that this could possibly force Tehran to capitulate and bring about a quick end to the war.
Bringing in forces that have a hybrid role, both on the high seas and ground troop purposes, is a very interesting development.
Up until now, the Trump administration hasn’t been very clear about whether it felt the need to use ground troops as part of its war effort in Iran.
Analysis
‘Hardline stance’ on Iran’s Kharg Island threatens global energy supplies
Zaidon Alkinani, Middle East politics lecturer at Georgetown University in Qatar, has said that Trump’s warning that he reserves the right to potentially destroy oil facilities on Kharg Island if tensions over the Strait of Hormuz escalate is a worrying sign.
“While some regional actors had hoped for de-escalation, the rhetoric from political leaders, including Trump, has shifted from potential compromise to continued hardline positions,” he told Al Jazeera.
“Both sides remain stubborn, and the global economic implications may be even more severe than the situation on the ground suggests, with energy supplies and fuel prices across the West and the world heavily affected by attacks on critical infrastructure.”
Alkinani added that the deployment of 2,500 US troops from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Force from Japan to the Middle East, presumed to remain sea-based, adds further complexity.
Any military action, he explained, would depend on developments in the conflict, evolving tactics, domestic pressure on Trump, and constitutional constraints.
“While Article II of the US Constitution allows the president to act in emergencies, questions remain over public trust and the clarity of the US strategic roadmap, particularly given earlier plans, such as targeting Iran’s supreme leader in hopes of regime collapse.”
USS Tripoli, 31st MEU Heading to the Middle East
Mallory Shelbourne March 13, 2026
Big deck amphibious warship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) and its embarked Marines are heading to the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran enters its third week, two defense officials confirmed to USNI News.
Amphibious assault ship Tripoli and elements of the embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit will join the Gerald R. Ford and Abraham Lincoln carrier strike groups that have been operating in the region.
Tripoli was operating in the Philippine Sea earlier this week with USS San Diego (LPD-22) and USS New Orleans (LPD-18), according to the March 9 USNI News Fleet and Marine Tracker. The three ships make up the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group. It’s unclear whether all three ships are heading to the Middle East, or if Tripoli will go on its own. Ship spotters identified Tripoli sailing alone south of Taiwan heading through the Luzon Strait on Thursday.
The 31st MEU recently participated in Iron Fist, a yearly exercise that the U.S. Marine Corps performs with Japan. Before the drills in the Japanese islands, the 31st MEU “achieved full certification” in February, according to a U.S. Indo-Pacific Command news release issued this week.
The 31st MEU is based in Okinawa, Japan, while Tripoli is homeported in Sasebo, Japan. The three ships and the MEU are part of the U.S. Navy’s forward-deployed presence in Japan. The entire MEU includes about 2,200 Marines, in addition to the sailors aboard the amphibious ships.
ARG/MEUs operating in U.S. Central Command often come from the East Coast. The focus of their missions has historically been noncombatant evacuation operations. It’s unclear what missions Tripoli and the MEU elements might do in CENTCOM.
Tripoli fields the Marine Corps F-35B Joint Strike Fighter Lightning IIs and previously tested the Navy’s so-called “lightning carrier” concept, embarking at least 19 F-35Bs in April 2022, according to Defense Department imagery.
America-class amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7) arrives at Naval Weapons Station Seal Beach May 20, 2025. US Navy Photo
