3,500 US troops arrive in the Middle East on USS Tripoli as Iran issues threat against ground invasion

A force of 3,500 US sailors and Marines arrived in the Middle East aboard the USS Tripoli — as Tehran warned that American forces will be killed if President Trump orders a ground invasion of Iran.

The flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit arrived over the weekend with troops in tow, US Central Command said Saturday.

Along with the troops, the amphibious warship brought transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as assault and tactical assets, with the Pentagon allegedly preparing for weeks of boots-on-the-ground operations in Iran.

As the war in Iran continues to escalate, thousands of Marines are being prepped to deploy to the Middle East, sources told The Washington Post.

The troop movement would fall short of a full-scale invasion, with roughly 10,000 American troops being considered for deployment to boost the already significant military presence in the Gulf region.

Trump has not publicly acknowledged the Pentagon’s proposal or whether he would approve any portion of the plans.

The president has repeatedly suggested US troops could be deployed to secure Iran’s nuclear facilities and the Strait of Hormuz, a critical trade route currently under Tehran’s control.

The White House has said Trump has been given “maximum optionality” on how to proceed in Iran, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio maintaining that the US can meet its objectives “without any ground troops.”

Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned that any deployment of ground forces would be a clear escalation of the war and met with widespread retaliation.

Ghalibaf said Tehran’s forces are “waiting for the arrival of American troops on the ground to set them on fire and punish their regional partners forever,” according to state media.

The parliament speaker, who is believed to be among the top Iranian officials negotiating with mediators, suggested no peace talks could go forward as long as the US continues to build up its forces in the region.

Ghalibaf ultimately slammed a proposal for peace talks to be held in Pakistan as a cover for the looming American invasion.

With Post wires