WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - The U.S. Central Command has denied Iran's claims that it attacked U.S. Navy's amphibious warship, the USS Tripoli, carrying about 3500 Marines and sailors to the Middle East.
The gigantic assault ship, designed to attack in both air and in water, and its Marine expeditionary unit, were deployed to the Middle East last month, adding thousands of Marines, several warships, and F-35 fighter jets to support two warships that are already in the region.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed they attacked and struck USS Tripoli with missiles, forcing it to withdraw from the region to the southern Indian Ocean.
But in a statement posted on X Monday, U.S. Central Command said USS Tripoli has not been attacked and continues to sail in the Arabian Sea in support of Operation Epic Fury. 'The America-class amphibious assault ship serves as the flagship for the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group / 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit composed of about 3,500 Sailors and Marines in addition to transport and strike fighter aircraft, as well as amphibious assault and tactical assets'.
Although President Donald Trump earlier said he is not 'putting U.S. troops on Iranian soil, media reports citing U.S. security officials said that the Trump administration is still considering deploying thousands of U.S. troops for ground operations in Iran. The Amphibious Ready Group deployment might reportedly also be used to free or open the Strait of Hormuz or assaulting the Kharg Island.
An American F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet was downed by Iranian forces in Iran on April 3, while flying in support of Operation Epic Fury, leaving one of the two U.S. troops seriously injured on Iranian mountainous terrain.
Both the airmen were successfully recovered in just under 48 hours in a harrowing Easter weekend search and rescue mission deep inside enemy territory.
Trump said at a news conference Monday that the F-15 was the U.S. military's only manned aircraft to be downed by Iran since the Middle East war broke out on February 28.
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