A US Navy warship, believed to be carrying thousands of Marines and sailors, is nearing the Strait of Malacca en route to the Middle East, maritime tracking data showed Tuesday, amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran and Tehran's retaliatory attacks.

US officials told CNN that the warship is being deployed to the region, but did not specify its exact destination or mission.

Regional escalation has raged since the US and Israel launched a joint offensive on Iran on Feb. 28, killing so far around 1,300 people, including then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting Israel, Jordan, Iraq, and Gulf countries hosting US military assets, causing casualties and damage to infrastructure while disrupting global markets and aviation. (AA)