Washington, March 29 -- The US Central Command said more than 3,500 additional American troops have arrived in West Asia, which includes the deployment of the amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli, carrying around 2,500 Marines.
The "big deck" warship - capable of operating F-35 fighter jets and MV-22 Osprey aircraft - was deployed from Japan to the Gulf and now serves as the flagship of its expeditionary unit, bringing with it expanded strike, transport and amphibious assault capabilities. Additional naval assets have also been ordered forward from San Diego.
According to CENTCOM, more than 11,000 targets have been struck since Operation Epic Fury began on February 28, underscoring the scale of US operations.
The troop surge comes amid ri...