India, March 20 -- The United States is ramping up its military presence reportedly in the Middle East, with three additional warships and roughly 2,500 Marines now heading to the region, according to officials familiar with the deployment.

One US official said the USS Boxer, along with two other amphibious assault ships, has departed from its home port in San Diego. The ships are carrying around 2,500 Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, a Reuters report said.

Two additional US officials confirmed the deployment but declined to specify the ships' exact destination, the report added. All three spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitive nature of the operation.

The US military build-up comes amid intensifying strik...