U.S. Deploys More Pacific Troops as Iran War Enters Third Week

The United States is increasingly diverting military resources from the Pacific region to the ongoing conflict with Iran as the war enters its third week.

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Hawaii-based naval assets have been actively engaged in Operation Epic Fury, with the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. launching missiles against Iran during the war's outset on February 28.

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The Pearl Harbor-based submarine USS Charlotte became the first U.S. submarine since World War II to sink an enemy vessel when it torpedoed the Iranian warship IRIS Dena off the coast of Sri Lanka.

This deployment comes despite years of U.S. strategic efforts to 'pivot' resources from the Middle East to focus on Asian security challenges and trade routes.