USS Tripoli

USS Tripoli (LHA-7) is an America-class amphibious assault ship commissioned in 2020. At roughly 257 metres long with no well-deck, she is optimised for aviation rather than traditional beach landing, operating F-35B Lightning II fighters alongside MV-22B Ospreys. She leads an Amphibious Ready Group with USS San Diego and USS New Orleans, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group already on station.

USS Tripoli arrived in the CENTCOM area of operations around 27 March 2026 carrying 3,500 Marines and sailors, as Pentagon planning for ground operations against Iran intensified. Three Pentagon sources confirmed to the Washington Post that planners were developing scenarios including an amphibious seizure of Kharg Island and coastal raids near the Strait of Hormuz, placing Tripoli at the centre of the most consequential US amphibious planning since the Gulf War.

The Tripoli's dual role, strike carrier and troop transport, makes her uniquely significant. Kharg Island handles roughly 90% of Iranian oil exports; its seizure would be a strategic escalation of enormous consequence. Whether that option is exercised or held in reserve, Tripoli's presence fundamentally alters the pressure Iran faces.