Iran

The Marines are assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force-Crisis Response-Central Command.

An American contractor was killed and four U.S. troops wounded in militia attack Dec. 27.

The U.S.-flagged merchant vessel Maersk Kinloss rescued three distressed Iranian mariners.

Iran's military represents a hybrid approach that is being evidenced at the level of near-peer rivals.

The country is continuing its drive to establish regional dominance.

Former Marine Sgt. Rocky Sickmann honored the troops who died trying to rescue him and 51 others in the Iran hostage crisis.

"Do not mistake our restraint for weakness," Defense Secretary Mark Esper said.

Defense Secretary Mark Esper has also put an unspecified number of U.S. troops on "Prepare To Deploy Orders."

Troops and air defenses are headed to the region in the wake of attacks on Saudi oil production facilities.

The attacks on the Saudi oil facilities evaded Raytheon’s Patriot ballistic missile defense system.