TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The US 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, based in Okinawa, Japan, will be deployed to the Middle East amid the ongoing war with Iran.
Around 2,500 service members who comprise the Marine Expeditionary Unit will assist in rapid response operations around the Strait of Hormuz, the New York Times reported. The unit’s assignment to the Middle East will mean there is no US rapid response force in the Indo-Pacific theater.
The 31st, based at Camp Hansen in Okinawa, is the only permanently forward-deployed Marine Expeditionary Unit. It is also unique among Marine Expeditionary Units for having an infantry battalion that specializes in small-boat landing operations.
The unit’s expertise makes it well-suited to conduct rapid small-scale operations around the Strait of Hormuz. However, its temporary departure from the Indo-Pacific may hinder US capability to respond to possible conflicts involving Taiwan or South Korea.
News of the 31st’s deployment to the Middle East comes less than a week after THAAD missile batteries were relocated from South Korea to the Middle East. Washington’s allies in Asia are reportedly concerned that a prolonged conflict with Iran will reduce deterrence capability and embolden Chinese military activity.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is urging governments in South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan to shoulder more responsibility for ensuring their own defense. On Saturday, Trump also called on South Korea, Japan, as well as China, to send naval assets to the Strait of Hormuz to ensure the safe transit of oil tankers, Reuters reported.
In recent months, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae has taken a clear stance on Tokyo’s interest in a potential conflict over Taiwan. Under her leadership, Japan is considering a policy of “active defense” in regional affairs by revising the country’s pacifist constitution, per Japan Today.
Despite the temporary relocation of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, Japan still hosts more than 50,000 active-duty US military personnel. The US and its allies are in the midst of a years-long effort to fortify the First Island Chain to prepare for any military contingency involving Taiwan, South Korea, or the Philippines.
