FLORIDA :US Central Command has confirmed that 3,500 additional US Marines have arrived in the Middle East aboard the USS Tripoli, significantly bolstering American military presence in the region.
The troops, members of the 31st Marine Division, arrived on March 27 along with transport aircraft, strike fighters, SALT, and other tactical assets, according to a CENTCOM statement. The deployment comes as President Donald Trump has stated that talks are underway to end the ongoing war with Iran.
Military officials indicated that thousands more personnel from the 82nd Airborne Division are expected to deploy to the region in the coming days, signaling a substantial increase in US operational capabilities.
The buildup represents one of the largest force movements to the Middle East in recent months, though CENTCOM characterized the deployment as part of routine force posture adjustments.
Meanwhile IRGC claims 500 US casualties, F-16 shot down
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Sunday that its forces have inflicted heavy casualties on American forces, claiming 500 US soldiers were killed or wounded in an attack today. The IRGC further asserted that an American F-16 fighter jet was shot down over southern Persia before it could reach a Saudi airbase.
In a statement, the Revolutionary Guards said they have carried out “severe attacks” on American and Israeli industrial facilities in occupied Palestine and across the region. The IRGC warned that any future attack on Iranian industries would be met with consequences “worse than expected.”
According to the Khatam al-Anbiya headquarters, the IRGC’s central command, Iranian forces also targeted the Strategic Electronic Warfare Center in the Israeli city of Haifa and struck fuel depots at Ben Gurion Air Base.
The claims could not be independently verified. There was no immediate comment from the United States or Israeli military officials regarding the reported casualties or the alleged downing of the aircraft.
