WASHINGTON - The United States is sending a third aircraft carrier and about 9,000 sailors and Marines toward the Middle East as President Donald Trump weighs renewed strikes against Iran.
The deployment includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, according to Vesti Baku and The Associated Press.
The ships carry more than 7,000 sailors and about 2,000 Marines. The force also includes the cruiser USS Chosin and the amphibious ships USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage.
Naval Pressure Increases
The carriers USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are already in the region, along with the USS Boxer amphibious group. If all three carrier groups overlap, Washington’s maritime presence would expand sharply.
Trump has said an escalation of bombing against Iran after the Nov. 3 midterm elections is possible. He also said he rejected Tehran’s latest ceasefire proposal as insufficient, even though it included reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
The deployment does not by itself mean a decision to launch new strikes has been made. It does, however, give Washington more military options and raises the risk of renewed escalation around Iran and a critical route for global oil shipments.