More US Marines and warships are being deployed to the Middle East, two officials confirmed to CBS News, the BBC’s US partner.

The officials said the reinforcements were to come from an amphibious ready group and its Marine expeditionary unit, with one official adding that the group would be led by the Japan-based USS Tripoli, an amphibious ᴀssault ship.

The unit headed by the USS Tripoli typically consists of around 5,000 sailors and Marines distributed across several warships.

The development comes as President Donald Trump said US forces had “totally obliterated” Iranian military infrastructure on Kharg Island in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical waterway for global oil shipping.

Retaliatory Iranian strikes targeting Israel and US military bases across the Middle East have disrupted major hubs for international air travel and caused the price of oil to soar.

Asked when the US Navy would start escorting tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Trump told reporters on Friday: “It will happen soon.”

The Wall Street Journal, which first reported the movement of US personnel, also reported that the request for reinforcements was made by US Central Command, the part of the US military responsible for the Middle East, and approved by Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.