US Navy warship carrying additional Marines to Gulf tracked off Singapore: Report

Singapore City: A US Navy Warship, which is believed to be carrying Marines and Sailors to West Asia amid the developments in the region, is nearing the Malacca Strait off Singapore, CNN reported, referring to maritime tracking data.

As per the US broadcaster, amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was seen approaching Singapore, at the southwestern edge of the South China Sea on Tuesday morning, as per AIS tracking data seen by CNN.

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Citing marinetraffic.com, CNN said that it showed a track for an "unspecified US warship" departing Okinawa on March 11, through the South China Sea and nearing Singapore Tuesday morning at a speed of about 22 mph.

It reported that while US Navy ships often move with AIS transponders turned off, revealing their positions while transiting areas with heavy maritime traffic, like the waters around Singapore, enables safer operations.

It cited a report by Wall Street Journal noting that additional Marines would be brought by USS Tripoli to West Asia and further noted that the Marines come from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU)-- a rapid-response force of 2,200 personnel, after the Pentagon ordered the unit to deploy, according to three officials familiar with the plans, CNN reported.

While the US Central Command has said that roughly 50,000 US troops are already in the West Asia as part of the conflict with Iran, when CNN asked US Navy's 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet for comment, officials said that the unit was being sent to the West Asia, however did not divulge into further details.

CNN reported that a Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) comprises of four elements-- command, ground combat, air combat and logistics combat. While they have been typically used for missions such as evacuations and amphibious operations that require ship-to-shore movements, such as raids and assaults, they also have ground and aviation combat components, and some of the units are trained for special operations.

Based in Sasebo, Japan, USS Tripoli, is a small aircraft carrier and carries F-35 stealth fighters along with MV-22 Osprey transports as well as landing craft to move troops ashore.

It is the lead ship in an amphibious ready group, which would normally include the amphibious transport docks USS New Orleans and USS San Diego. CNN said that it could not confirm the presence of the smaller ships with the Tripoli in maritime tracking sites.

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Meanwhile, senior Iranian figures have paid high-level tributes following the death of the nation's top security official, Ali Larijani, who was killed during a military strike carried out by the Israeli and US forces, according to state broadcaster Press TV.

Larijani, who served as the Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council (SNSC), was killed late on Monday alongside his son, Morteza Larijani, and his SNSC deputy, Alireza Bayat. Several security personnel also lost their lives in the incident.

In a formal condolence message, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian expressed deep grief over the loss, describing Larijas a "virtuous, precious, and dear brother".

Judiciary chief Mohseni Ejei also issued a tribute, stating that Larijani "received from God Almighty the reward for his long years of struggle" by "drinking the sweet nectar of martyrdom".

Press TV noted that Ejei praised Larijani's "high managerial and decision-making capacity, courage and eloquence in speech", and his "sacrifice and steadfastness in the path of the ideals and values of the Islamic Revolution".

The head of the judiciary assured that the Iranian military, backed by public support, would "exact revenge for the pure blood of this dear martyr" from those he described as "the criminal America and the barbaric Zionist regime".