The US transfer of an elite unit of 2,500 marines from Japan to the Middle East could provoke a new phase of conflict in the Middle East, The Telegraph reports.

The arrival of this elite unit on board the USS Tripoli landing ship is expected in the next 10-15 days and could signal the start of a new phase of the war: US ground operations.

This would enable the US to launch military campaigns, which would be an impetus for a new wave of hostilities in the region.

Washington did not disclose the nature of this mission, but the elite unit will probably be tasked with wresting control of the Strait of Hormuz.