31st MEU returns to Okinawa after Iran war deployment

Published Jul 22, 06:23 PM UTC

The Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, comprising approximately 2,200 service members, returned to Okinawa, Japan on July 22, 2026, after a six-month deployment supporting U.S. military operations in the Middle East during the Iran war. The unit helped enforce a U.S. Navy blockade in the Strait of Hormuz as part of Operation Epic Fury. The blockade, which began April 13 and ended June 18, redirected over 140 compliant ships and disabled nine non-compliant vessels. It was briefly paused after a 60-day interim Memorandum of Understanding with Iran, but was renewed on July 14 after ceasefire talks failed. The deployment included participation in Exercise Iron Fist 26 with Japanese forces, transport of 800,000 pounds of cargo, over 1,600 hours of combat aviation missions without accident, and refueling of more than 300 aircraft.