USS Boxer The Second Amphibious Assault Ship Now Heading To Middle East (Updated)
With two Amphibious Ready Groups heading to the Middle East, there is increasing speculation that the U.S. will try to seize Iran's strategic Kharg Island.
Where the 'sunk cost' argument becomes literally true. 5,000 Marines can seize a specific objective, like Kharg Island (approx. 8 sq. miles). But they will not "hold the door open" across the straight. They will be a landing party that becomes a stationary target once they hit the beach. Marines able to watch retaliatory missiles going into Ras Tanura as they wish upon a star.
On Truth Social today (March 20, 2026), Trump claimed the U.S. is "very close to meeting objectives", and that operation Epstein Fury is nearing completion. Simultaneously, the Pentagon has accelerated the deployment of the 11th MEU (USS Boxer) to join the 31st MEU (USS Tripoli). Lies lies and more lies is what Trump delivers.