U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth holds a briefing amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., U.S., March 2, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
(Washington, DC) – The Pentagon is preparing to deploy up to 5,000 U.S. Marines to the Middle East as tensions continue to rise during the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The potential deployment would involve a Marine Expeditionary Unit and supporting forces, capable of rapid response operations ranging from crisis response to protecting U.S. personnel and key strategic assets across the region.
The move comes as the conflict, which began on Feb. 28 when the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iranian targets, continues to expand across the Middle East.
On Thursday, U.S. Central Command confirmed that a U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in Iraq while supporting operations related to the war, killing six American service members. Officials said the crash was not caused by hostile or friendly fire, and investigators believe a midair collision may have occurred.
At the same time, U.S. officials say Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that carries about 20 percent of the world’s oil supply. The move has already disrupted shipping in the Persian Gulf and raised fears of further escalation.
More than a dozen oil tankers and cargo ships have reportedly been attacked in the region since the war began, and global energy markets have reacted sharply. Oil prices have surged past $100 per barrel, while gas prices in the United States have climbed more than 20 percent since the conflict began.
The Trump administration has taken emergency steps to stabilize energy markets, including temporarily lifting sanctions on Russian oil shipments already at sea to help increase global supply.
Defense officials say the possible Marine deployment is designed to reinforce American forces in the region, secure critical shipping routes, and prepare for potential escalation with Iran or its allied militias.
The Department of Defense has not yet confirmed the exact destination or timeline for the deployment but said the forces would provide additional flexibility if the conflict spreads further across the Middle East.
