The 11th MEU is a U.S. Marine Corps expeditionary unit based at Camp Pendleton, California, part of I Marine Expeditionary Force. Known for rotating deployments to the Western Pacific and Middle East as a rapid-response amphibious force. Recently, it deployed to the Middle East amid heightened tensions with Iran before shifting to the Indo-Pacific. Last updated Jul 9th, 2026
CENTCOM: Sailors prepare U.S. Marine Corps F-35B stealth fighter jets for takeoff aboard USS Boxer (LHD 4) while transiting the Arabian Sea. Boxer is the flagship for the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group / 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit.
"U.S. Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a verification boarding aboard M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman, July 16.
As of today, American forces have redirected 3 commercial vessels trying to run ...
U.S. Central Command:
"U.S. Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conduct a verification boarding aboard M/T Wen Yao in the Gulf of Oman, July 16.
As of today, American forces have redirected 3 commercial vessels trying to run the blockade, disabled 1 that didn’t comply, and boarded 1 to ensure full compliance with the ongoing U.S. naval blockade against Iran.
The Strait of Hormuz and the surrounding waters remain free and open, except for vessels attempting to violate America’s steel wall blockade."
The USS Boxer amphibious warship and the embarked 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit were sidelined by an engine issue in the early weeks of the war against Iran. Three officials say the main circulation pump cooling the engine malfunctioned and needed replacing while the ship was en route to the Middle East. Instead of continuing to the Arabian Sea, the warship and its Marines and sailors waited on repairs at the U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia.
The USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, carrying the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, has shifted from the CENTCOM area of responsibility (Middle east) to the Indo Pacific. The force is set to join the USS George Washington Carrier Strike Group, currently operating in the Philippine Sea.
Around 4,500 U.S. troops, including an infantry battalion with helicopters, F-35s, and armored vehicles, are deploying to the Middle East, with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit from San Diego also accelerated, The Washington Post reports.
The U.S. is accelerating a fresh military deployment to the Middle East, sending about 4,000 service members, including 2,500 Marines, from the West Coast.
According to 4 officials speaking to Newsmax, the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and ...
The U.S. is accelerating a fresh military deployment to the Middle East, sending about 4,000 service members, including 2,500 Marines, from the West Coast.
According to 4 officials speaking to Newsmax, the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are deploying ahead of schedule, moving through the Indo Pacific toward the region as the Pentagon surges additional firepower amid the Iran war.
The group includes USS Boxer, an amphibious assault ship that functions like a mini aircraft carrier, along with USS Portland and USS Comstock, both amphibious landing ships.
This marks a new, separate deployment from earlier movements, reinforcing U.S. forces with amphibious assault and rapid response capabilities.
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