BEIRUT: The United States will soon send a large floating base of commandos to the Middle East, reports the Washington Post.

The move comes as the U.S. sees increased tension with the Islamic Republic of Iran, Al-Qaeda and Somali pirates.

It is unclear exactly where in the Middle East the floating base, an aging warship to be converted by the U.S. Navy, nicknamed the “mother ship” will be located.

But the Post says that “Navy officials acknowledged that they were moving with unusual haste to complete the conversion and send the mothership to the region by early summer.”

However, the Post has reviewed Navy documents, which indicated that the vessel could be headed to the Gulf, where Iran has repeatedly threatened to block the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route oil.

Other documents do not specify the location, but say the floating base would be used to support “mine countermeasure” missions.

Special Operations forces are reportedly a part of the Obama administration’s strategy to make the military leaner and more flexible.

With a naval base in Bahrain and aircraft carriers in the Middle East, the U.S. Navy already has a strong presence in the region. But a floating base could help boost the U.S. role in offshore missions.