US deploys thousands of troops to Middle East, Reuters reports
Photo: The US accelerated troop deployment to the Middle East (Getty Images)
The United States is urgently deploying thousands of Marines and sailors to the Middle East. A part of the forces was sent several weeks ahead of schedule, Reuters reports.
According to three US officials, the deployment includes the amphibious assault ship USS Boxer, along with a Marine Expeditionary Unit and an accompanying warship. One source said some of the troops are being sent about three weeks earlier than planned.
The sources did not specify what tasks the additional forces will carry out in the region.
On the eve of the deployment, US President Donald Trump said he is not sending troops "anywhere," but added that if such a decision were made, he would not announce it publicly.
Escalation in the Middle East
Amid rising tensions in the Middle East, expectations are growing in the US of a further expansion of military operations. According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll, about 65% of Americans believe President Donald Trump could decide to send troops to Iran, although only 7% support such a move.
At the same time, the Trump administration has already accelerated the delivery of billions of dollars’ worth of weapons to allies in the region, including the UAE, Kuwait, and Jordan, bypassing Congress.
It was also previously reported that an amphibious ready group led by USS Boxer and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed the US West Coast ahead of schedule.
