It is not yet clear whether they will deploy to Iran itself, officials said. Immediate Response Force duties rotate among infantry units in the 82nd Airborne Division. The Army deployment comes as three warships carrying about 4,500 troops from the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group neared the Middle East. A similar unit, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, recently deployed early from San Diego but is weeks away from arriving in the Middle East. This month, Trump ordered the bombing of military targets on Kharg Island but said he intentionally left the oil infrastructure intact.

Source: Washington Post March 25, 2026 16:22 UTC