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The United States is deploying about 2,000 Marines to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran, while three oil tankers have been struck by unidentified projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Marines are aboard the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which has departed for the region along with the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.
The deployment is part of a broader US military buildup that could bring a third American aircraft carrier to the Middle East.
The deployment comes as maritime security deteriorates in the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial route for global oil shipments.
Three Liberian-flagged oil tankers were hit by unknown projectiles while transiting the strait on Tuesday, according to maritime intelligence service Marisks. The source of the attacks has not been established.
The latest US deployment involves more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines aboard the ships heading toward the region.
If the deployment proceeds as planned, three US carrier strike groups could be operating in the Middle East by late October.
The developments come as Washington and Tehran remain locked in a confrontation over the Strait of Hormuz and the broader conflict.
US officials have indicated that the military buildup is taking place as President Donald Trump weighs further action against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz is a major global energy chokepoint, making any disruption to commercial shipping a potential source of wider concern for oil and fuel markets.
Brent crude settled above $102 a barrel on Thursday amid renewed concerns over supply disruptions.
