The USS Makin Island (LHD-8), the flagship of its Amphibious Ready Group, has reportedly left Yokosuka, Japan, and is heading toward the US Central Command area of responsibility. The Wasp-class assault ship arrived in Yokosuka on October 26 for maintenance, and video from the base matches open-source ship-spotter footage of its departure. It carries the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, roughly 2,000 Marines, and is traveling with the amphibious ships USS Anchorage and USS John P. Murtha. The group left San Diego on September 28, and its destination had not been officially announced.

The move adds to a growing US military buildup in the Middle East. Two carrier strike groups, the USS George Washington and the USS George H.W. Bush, are already operating there, and the USS Theodore Roosevelt is on its way. Reports say the Pentagon is sending roughly 9,000 to 10,000 more sailors and Marines, who are expected to arrive by the end of November. The buildup comes as President Trump weighs whether to resume strikes on Iran, in a conflict that has been going on since February 28, 2026. Exactly when the Makin Island group will arrive, and what its Marines would be used for, has not been made public.