About 2,500 U.S. Marines aboard as many as three warships are heading to the Middle East from the Indo-Pacific region, amid stepped-up Iranian military actions in the Strait of Hormuz, The New York Times reported, citing two unnamed U.S. officials.
The shift, earlier reported by The Wall Street Journal, comes as Iran’s response to nearly two weeks of U.S. and Israeli aerial bombardment and long-range artillery strikes has proved more resilient than officials in the administration of President Donald Trump had anticipated.
The Marines will join more than 50,000 American troops already stationed across the Middle East. The new deployment comes as Iranian attacks on and near the Strait of Hormuz have disrupted maritime traffic through the vital waterway, unsettling global energy markets.
It was not immediately clear how the newly deployed forces would be used, the Times said.
Trump Says US Could Escort Ships Through Strait Of Hormuz If Needed
The deployment includes elements of a Marine expeditionary unit embarked on Navy amphibious warships, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal. Such formations typically operate as part of an Amphibious Ready Group made up of several warships carrying roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines.
The ships are designed to deploy Marine forces, aircraft and landing craft directly from the sea, allowing the United States to conduct crisis-response operations, amphibious assaults or evacuations without relying on land bases.
War since Feb. 28
The latest deployment follows an intensifying conflict that began on Feb. 28, when the United States and Israel launched coordinated strikes on Iranian military and nuclear-related facilities, saying the operations were aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten regional security and curb its missile and drone capabilities.
Iran responded with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting U.S. and Israeli military assets and shipping across the Gulf region, while allied militias across the Middle East — including groups operating in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon — have stepped up attacks on American facilities and regional partners.
The confrontation has raised fears of a wider regional war involving multiple Middle Eastern states and non-state actors, as Israel continues its bombing campaign in Lebanon.
Analysts say the risk of escalation remains high given the presence of large numbers of U.S. forces across the Gulf and the potential for attacks on critical energy infrastructure in countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Strategic importance of the Strait
The Strait of Hormuz is widely regarded as the world’s most important energy chokepoint. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Arabian Sea and serves as the primary export route for crude oil and liquefied natural gas produced by Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar and Iraq.
Iran’s southern coastline runs along much of the strait, and vessels entering or leaving the Gulf are routinely contacted by Iranian authorities via maritime radio communications. The narrow shipping lanes make commercial traffic particularly vulnerable to military escalation, naval harassment or mining operations.
Roughly one-fifth of global oil consumption passes through the strait each day aboard civilian-operated tankers, making it a focal point of the confrontation.
US military posture
The Pentagon has also increased surveillance and naval patrols across the Gulf as part of broader efforts to deter attacks on commercial vessels and regional allies.
Pete Hegseth on Friday downplayed concerns that the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz amid the Iran war — which has driven up oil prices — would pose a prolonged problem for the United States or the global economy.
Speaking at a Pentagon press briefing, Hegseth said Iran was acting out of “sheer desperation” in its actions around the strait.
“We’ve been dealing with it and don’t need to worry about it,” he said.
B-2 stealth bombers takeoff to conduct a mission during Operation Epic Fury, delivering long-range fire to not only eliminate the threat from the Iranian regime today, but also eliminate their ability to rebuild in the future. pic.twitter.com/ebyUYNnOLo
— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) March 13, 2026
Hegseth also pushed back against media reports suggesting the U.S. military lacked a plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz before launching strikes against Iran. .
“For decades, Iran has threatened shipping in the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. “This is always what they do — try to hold the strait hostage.”
“We planned for it. We recognize it,” Hegseth said.
He added that U.S. actions would proceed in a deliberate sequence aligned with broader strategic objectives, though he did not provide details of specific plans.
Oil markets and global economic impact
Global energy markets have reacted sharply to the exacerbating tensions. Benchmark crude prices have surged to above $100 per barrel amid concerns that fighting could disrupt shipments from the Gulf, which supplies a large share of the world’s oil exports.
Shipping insurers have raised risk premiums for vessels traveling through the Strait of Hormuz, and some tanker operators have delayed or rerouted voyages because of security concerns and further tightening supply in global markets.
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The hike in prices has triggered emergency consultations among major energy-consuming nations. The International Energy Agency said it was prepared to coordinate the release of strategic petroleum reserves among member countries if disruptions to supply intensify.
Such coordinated releases have been used in the past during major geopolitical crises to stabilize markets and ensure sufficient supply for industrial economies.
Higher oil prices are already beginning to ripple through global economies. European governments have warned that sustained disruptions in Gulf energy shipments could drive up fuel and electricity costs, complicating efforts to control inflation and potentially slowing economic growth across the continent.
Asian economies are also particularly exposed to supply disruptions. Major importers including Japan, South Korea, India and China rely heavily on crude shipments transported through the Strait of Hormuz, making them vulnerable to prolonged instability in the region.
Diplomatic response
The United Nations has called for urgent de-escalation, warning that attacks affecting Gulf states and threats to shipping in the Strait of Hormuz pose serious risks to international peace and global trade.
Several member states urged both Iran and the United States to avoid actions that could further destabilize the region or endanger civilian maritime traffic.
Leaders of the European Union have also expressed concern about the conflict’s economic and security implications. European officials said the bloc was coordinating closely with international partners and monitoring energy markets as oil prices surged.
EU officials warned that prolonged disruption of Gulf shipping lanes could trigger sustained energy price increases and strain already fragile global supply chains.
Iftikhar Ali is a veteran Pakistani journalist, former president of UN Correspondents Association, and a recipient of the Pride of Performance civil award
