The U.S. is sending additional warships and thousands of troops to the Middle East to bolster security for Iranian attempts to seize merchant ships there.

The Associated Press news agency quoted US officials as saying that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Thursday approved the deployment of the USS Bataan Amphibious Readiness Group and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Gulf region. The readiness group consists of three ships, including the attack ship Bataan. An expeditionary unit typically consists of about 2,500 Marines.

In a statement, US Central Command said the deployment would “help greatly improve maritime traffic flow in the region.”

The statement did not name the ships, but U.S. officials provided a description of the units involved in the deployment on condition of not discussing troop movements.

Along with the Bataan, the group also includes two other warships, the USS Mesa Verde and the USS Carter Hall. The group set sail earlier this month off the coast of Norfolk, Virginia.

As of Thursday, it was unclear whether the three ships would remain in the Gulf region.

In recent weeks, the USS Thomas Hudner and several F. 35 And F 16 Boy planes have also been sent to the region.

In response to Iranian activities, the US has been in the area for several weeks 10 There are also fighter jets.

Earlier this month, Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the Strait of Hormuz and opened fire on one of them.

The purpose of the fighter jets is to provide air defense to commercial ships using the waterway and to increase the military presence in the region as a deterrent to Iran.

General Eric Korella, head of Central Command, said the additional forces “further protect our partner nations in the region and the free flow of international trade and maintain the international order based on global rules, and deter Iranian destabilizing activities in the region.”