US Cancels Naval Exercise with Morocco, Redirects Forces to Middle East Amid Iran Tensions

This last-minute change is justified by the ongoing tensions with Iran that led to the assassination of General Qasem Soleimani, following a US drone attack. The information was reported by a US defense official, according to USNI News.

"Given the growing tensions with Iran, the US Navy is ending an exercise with Morocco and redirecting the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD-5) and the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East," the senior US Navy official confided.

According to this official, this assault ship docked earlier this week in Agadir, as part of these naval maneuvers, and has returned to the port of the capital of Souss towards the waters of the Gulf.

Note that this redeployment of the Marines to reinforce the 82nd Airborne soldiers in Iraq aims to strengthen the team in place for the continuation of the American operation that eliminated this senior Iranian military official.