Washington: The US military is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to West Asia, three US officials said on Friday. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said no decision has been made to send troops to Iran, but they will build capacity for future operations in the region. The USS Boxer and two other amphibious ships, along with about 2,500 Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are bound for the Middle East from their home port of San Diego, an official confirmed. Two other US officials confirmed the ships were deploying, without specifying where they were headed. One of the officials said the troops were departing the US about three weeks ahead of schedule. The White House and the Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. The additional deployment would add to the 50,000 US troops already in West Asia and bring two Marine expeditionary units to the region. The units, typically consisting of 2,500 marines, can be used for a number of reasons, including attacking ships using aircraft or being deployed on land. Sources had earlier said that the US military is preparing for possible next steps in the war US forces move forward to clear the Strait of HormuzUS warplanes and attack helicopters are stepping up strikes against Iranian drones and naval vessels in an escalating military effort to clear the Strait of Hormuz, US officials said. Gen. Dan Kane, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Thursday that low-flying Air Force A-10 Warthog aircraft were “hunting and killing fast attack watercraft” operated by Iran’s Revolutionary Guard in the disputed sea lanes. Kane said some regional allies, whom he did not identify, were using Apache helicopter gunships to “take over one-sided strike drones,” one of the most powerful weapons used by Iran to conduct strikes in the Persian Gulf. The US is considering a plan to seize Iran’s Kharg Islands to pressure Iran into reopening the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported on Friday, citing four sources.Fertilizer ban lifted in BelarusThe United States lifted sanctions on Thursday on three Belarusian companies that produce a key ingredient in fertilizer, as the war has sent fertilizer prices skyrocketing and farmers’ incomes at risk. Washington DC took this step in return for Minsk freeing 250 political prisoners. agencies