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The U.S. Department of Defense is contemplating extending the deployment for Marines and sailors currently operating in the Middle East and Mediterranean. This consideration arises amid concerns regarding the readiness of Navy ships designated to replace them.

Having been deployed since July, the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group (ARG), which includes around 2,000 Marines, has been conducting patrols in the Middle East region. Notably, this group was redirected towards Israel during the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza earlier in the fall, positioning itself as a crisis response force. The current geopolitical climate in the region, which continues to experience escalating turmoil, is a primary factor in the Pentagon’s decision-making process.

The extended deployment of the Bataan ARG, which also comprises the USS Carter Hall and USS Mesa Verde, could potentially reach nearly a year.