U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of American military forces to the Middle East in an effort to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid growing fears that rising oil prices could trigger a global recession.
The decision includes sending a warship carrying a Marine expeditionary unit capable of conducting amphibious operations and potentially placing troops on the ground.
Trump said the United States would respond strongly to Iran and warned that American forces would strike the Iranian regime hard if tensions continued to escalate.
The move comes as Iranian forces reportedly attacked additional oil tankers after the country’s new supreme leader declared that the strategic waterway would remain closed until attacks on Iran stop.
U.S. Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth told reporters that authorities were already handling the situation and suggested there was no immediate cause for concern about the strait.
U.S. officials confirmed that the USS Tripoli had already departed from Okinawa, Japan, carrying about 5,000 sailors and members of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.
The expeditionary force is equipped to conduct special air and surface operations and amphibious landings, although officials say it may take about two weeks for the vessel to reach the region.
The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world’s most important oil transit routes, with a significant share of global oil shipments passing through the waterway each day. Escalating tensions in the region have raised concerns about disruptions to global energy supplies and potential economic consequences.
