Washington, Oct. 2 (SANA) The U.S. military is sending roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships to the Middle East, including a third aircraft carrier, as President Donald Trump weighs possible new strikes on Iran, The Associated Press reported.
The ships heading to the region carry more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines, AP said Thursday, citing a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The deployment includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which recently deployed with the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which includes the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage.
The move could bring three U.S. aircraft carriers into the region by the end of October and increase the U.S. naval presence there to more than 20,000 sailors and Marines, along with hundreds of aircraft.
The USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington aircraft carriers are currently in the region, along with the USS Boxer amphibious readiness group.
Trump told Time magazine in an interview published Thursday that it was “possible” he would intensify bombing in Iran after the Nov. 3 U.S. elections.
He said he had rejected Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal and cited Tehran’s offer to “open up” the Strait of Hormuz, describing the overall proposal as “not good enough.”
FJ/ABD
