US warship believed to be carrying additional Marines to Middle East tracked off Singapore | CNN

A US Navy warship believed to be carrying Marines and sailors to the Middle East is nearing the Malacca Strait off Singapore as it makes its way to the region, maritime tracking data showed Tuesday. The amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli was approaching Singapore, at the southwestern edge of the South China Sea, Tuesday morning, according to AIS tracking data seen by CNN. US Navy ships often move with AIS transponders turned off. Revealing their positions while transiting areas with heavy maritime traffic, like the waters around Singapore, enables safer operations. The Wall Street Journal reported that the additional Marines would be ferried by the Tripoli to the Middle East. Those Marines are coming from the Okinawa-based 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), a rapid-response force of 2,200 personnel, after the Pentagon ordered the unit to deploy, according to three officials familiar with the plans. US Central Command has said that roughly 50,000 US troops are already in the Middle East as part of the war with Iran. CNN has asked the US Navy’s 7th Fleet and 5th Fleet for comment. Officials told CNN the unit was being sent to the Middle East, without revealing exactly where it