Over 2,000 US Marines set to arrive in West Asia on March 27

Over 2,000 US Marines are expected to arrive in West Asia on Friday, March 27, when Donald Trump’s five-day deadline for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz ends.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the troops, along with two warships — USS Tripoli and USS New Orleans — will enter the US Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility on Friday but are expected to take some more days to reach the Strait of Hormuz.

The Pentagon has also ordered a second Marine unit to deploy aboard the USS Boxer in the coming weeks, signalling a broader build-up of US forces in the region. The second marine unit is the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit based in California.

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The development comes as the US military steps up contingency planning. The New York Times reported that the Pentagon is considering a broader troop deployment, including sending a combat brigade from the 82nd Airborne Division, a rapid-response force typically used in high-intensity operations. The report, citing defence officials, said there are concerns about the risk of a wider regional conflict and that forces are being positioned to respond quickly to any escalation.

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It also said the military build-up is aimed at providing White House with a range of options from deterrence to direct intervention while the focus remains on safeguarding key shipping lanes and US assets in the region.

The troop movement comes amid escalating tensions in West Asia after Trump decided to pause planned strikes on Iranian energy infrastructure by five days.

Despite Trump’s claims of “very good” talks with Iran, Tehran has denied any negotiations, even as hostilities continue across the region, including missile and drone attacks targeting US allies and Israeli strikes inside Iran.

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