Dzirhan Mahadzir – July 22, 2026 5:31 PM
Big deck amphibious ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), lead ship of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group, wrapped up on Wednesday a six-month patrol that took the group to the Indo-Pacific and Middle East.
Tripoli pulled into White Beach Naval Facility, Okinawa, on Wednesday to offload elements of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit. Along with the embarked 31st MEU, the Tripoli ARG included Tripoli, amphibious transport dock USS New Orleans (LPD-18) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47).
Tripoli, forward deployed to Japan, departed in mid-January in preparation for the annual U.S. Marine Corps – Japan Ground Self-Defense Force exercise Iron Fist 2026, which ran from Feb. 23 to March 9. At the time, the ARG included Tripoli and New Orleans and embarked 31st MEU elements.
The two ships, as well as amphibious transport dock USS San Diego (LPD-22), were operating in the Philippine Sea in mid-March when they were retasked to join Operation Epic Fury. San Diego peeled off from the group near Singapore and returned to its homeport of Commander Fleet Activities Sasebo (CFAS). Rushmore subsequently joined the ARG in the Middle East, USNI News previously reported.
Following a stop in Diego Garcia, Tripoli arrived in U.S. Central Command on March 27. In the Middle East, the ARG enforced maritime blockade security in the northern Arabian Sea, stabilizing key waterways and enabling critical follow-on Joint Force operations, according to a U.S. Navy news release.
“The MEU is designed for crisis response. This team proved the unmatched capability of a forward-deployed Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) by seamlessly transitioning into combat operations mid-deployment,” Col. Chris Niedziocha, commanding officer of the 31st MEU, said in the release. “The team adapted, never lost sight of the mission and performed flawlessly under the most dynamic circumstances.”
The Tripoli ARG and 31st MEU successfully conducted more than 1,600 mishap-free flight hours of combat aviation missions, including precision strikes, transporting 800,000 pounds of cargo and moving 5,000 personnel throughout the patrol, reads the release. The units also provided sustained combat support to joint force operations by delivering critical intelligence and refueling more than 300 aircraft ashore and underway.
“I’m incredibly proud of our integrated team across the ARG, who have demonstrated extreme resilience and commitment to the mission during the dynamic and demanding deployment,” said U.S. Navy Capt. Timothy Carter, Commodore of Amphibious Squadron (PHIBRON) 11. “They answered our nation’s call, executed every mission with unwavering professionalism and represented our country with honor.”
The release did not disclose the specifics of the Tripoli ARG and 31st MEU’s operations in the Middle East but the Pentagon had previously disclosed that the Marines from the 31st MEU had boarded sanctioned Iranian container ship MV Touska on April 19 while in the Arabian Sea. The Iranian ship was disabled by destroyer USS Spruance (DDG-111), a destroyer in the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group, following Touska’s attempt to run through a U.S. blockade.
Marines from the 31st MEU also boarded two commercial vessels, cargo ship MV Blue Star III on April 28 and tanker MT Celestial Sea on May 20. Both ships were boarded for being suspected of attempting to sail through the U.S. naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz to enter an Iranian port, USCENTCOM said at the time. In both instances, the ships were released following a search and confirmation that the ships’ voyage did not include an entry into an Iranian port.
The Tripoli ARG is forward deployed to Japan and is commanded by PHIBRON-11, which is assigned to Expeditionary Strike Group (ESG) 7/Commander, Task Force (CTF) 76. CTF 76 is responsible for conducting expeditionary warfare operations with Navy and Marine Corps capabilities to support theater contingencies within the U.S. 7th Fleet area that range from crisis response to full combat operations. All four ships of PHIBRON-11 are forward deployed and based at CFAS, while the 31st MEU, based on Okinawa, is the Marine Corps’ sole forward-deployed MEU.
It is unclear whether Rushmore and New Orleans will soon return to Japan to offload their embarked 31st MEU forces.
The West Coast-based Boxer ARG continues to operate in the CENTCOM theater. The Boxer ARG includes amphibious assault ship USS Boxer (LHD-4), amphibious transport dock USS Portland (LPD-27) and amphibious dock landing ship USS Comstock (LSD-45) with the embarked 11th MEU.
Amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD-2) and embarked elements of the 15th MEU are currently participating in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2026 exercise in Hawaii.
Dzirhan Mahadzir
Dzirhan Mahadzir is a freelance defense journalist and analyst based in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia. Among the publications he has written for and currently writes for since 1998 includes Defence Review Asia, Jane’s Defence Weekly, Navy International, International Defence Review, Asian Defence Journal, Defence Helicopter, Asian Military Review and the Asia-Pacific Defence Reporter.