US sends Marines to middle east to deal with Iranian attacks on shipping

 CNN:

The US is deploying thousands of Marines and additional forces to the Middle East following recent Iranian attempts to seize commercial shipping vessels, the Pentagon announced Thursday.

This latest deployment comes after the Pentagon said earlier this week that it would be sending F-35 and F-16 fighter jets to the Middle East, as well as the USS Thomas Hudner, a guided missile destroyer.

The new forces will consist of an amphibious readiness group and a marine expeditionary unit – known as an ARG and MEU, respectively – which typically consists of three ships and approximately 2,400 Marines.

Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the commander of US Central Command, said the forces would add “unique capabilities” to the region in order to “further safeguard the free flow of international commerce and uphold the rules based international order.”
...

It is not clear why Iran is attacking merchant ships in the region.  The US has also deployed some A-10 aircraft to police the area. 

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