ISTANBUL

The US military is sending more than 4,000 Marines and sailors to waters near Latin America and the Caribbean in a major show of force against drug cartels, CNN reported on Friday, citing US defense officials.

The deployment includes the Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, as well as destroyers, a guided-missile cruiser, surveillance aircraft, and a nuclear-powered attack submarine.

Officials said the buildup gives President Donald Trump a wide range of military options to confront cartels designated as narco-terrorist organizations, but they emphasized that the move is primarily intended as a deterrent signal rather than a prelude to immediate strikes.

The reinforcements are part of a larger military resource shift to the US Southern Command (SOUTHCOM), which has been going on for three weeks.

On Friday, the Navy confirmed the deployment of the USS Iwo Jima, the 22nd MEU, and two other Amphibious Ready Group ships—the USS Fort Lauderdale and USS San Antonio—but did not specify their destination.

The ARG/MEU package, which includes an aviation combat unit, broadens the US operational footprint in the region.

However, some defense officials have expressed concerns, pointing out that Marines are not specifically trained for drug interdiction or anti-trafficking missions and would have to rely heavily on the US Coast Guard if such tasks fell under their purview.