Iran war live: US moves 2,000 Marines to Middle East, tanker hit in Hormuz

As of October 2, 2026, the United States has deployed a third aircraft carrier strike group and an amphibious landing force with over 2,000 Marines to the Middle East near Iran, marking the largest military buildup in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion. The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group left San Diego on Sunday, accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Chosin and other vessels, while a day later, the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group also departed with more than 2,000 Marines. By November, three aircraft carriers and two amphibious landing groups will be positioned around Iran, adding to the existing approximately 50,000 US troops in the area. This move underscores President Donald Trump's consideration of potential military action against Iran before the upcoming midterm elections, amid growing public opposition to the war in the U.S. Additionally, a 2.5-million-barrel supertanker was hit by an unknown projectile and caught fire while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, according to UK Maritime Trade Operations.