U.S. Deploying Additional Troops to Middle East Amid Potential Iran Strikes, Trump Says

• Approximately 9,000 service members are being deployed aboard a fleet of Navy vessels headed to the Middle East, President Donald Trump said, warning of possible new actions against Iran.
• The United States will respond forcefully if a connection is confirmed between Tehran and the FlyDubai co‑pilot who attempted to sabotage an Israel‑bound flight, Trump cautioned.

Updated 2 min 46 sec ago

October 2, 2026 01:08

WASHINGTON: The US military is dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships to the Middle East, a US official said Thursday. The bolstering of the American military presence comes as President Donald Trump warned anew that new strikes against Iran could be on the horizon.

Early indications point to Iranian involvement in the co‑pilot’s attack on the captain and attempted hijacking of an Israel‑bound flight on Wednesday, he said.

In an exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump was asked about any links between the pilot and Tehran. “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is ‘yes,’ but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said, without offering details.

Trump also warned that if the link is established to Iran, the United States would retaliate. “They’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry,” Trump said. “You just ask them. They know what happened. They’ll be hit very hard.”

Meanwhile, the fleet now en route to the Middle East carries more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines. The force includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, recently deployed with the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which incorporates the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage landing ships.

The deployment could bring three carrier strike groups into the region by the end of October, according to a US official speaking to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

With these troops added to the existing presence, US naval power in the area would exceed 20,000 sailors and Marines, supported by hundreds of aircraft. The Navy last had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April 2024—the first time since 2003.

Currently operating in the theater are the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington carriers, along with the USS Boxer amphibious readiness group. The George Washington, normally assigned to the Pacific, was diverted to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln after that ship’s crew completed a grueling deployment exceeding 260 consecutive days at sea.

In a Time magazine interview published Thursday, Trump suggested the possibility of escalating airstrikes against Iran following the November 3 U.S. election, saying it is “possible” he would increase bombing activity.

When pressed for specifics, Trump declined to detail his strategy. “I can’t tell you that because… you’re asking where I’m going to bomb?” he said.

During the interview, conducted Monday, Trump indicated he rejected Iran’s latest cease‑fire proposal, stating that “things I wouldn’t have approved a year ago I wouldn’t have today.”

He mentioned an Iranian offer to “open up” the Strait of Hormuz as an example, but concluded the overall proposal “wasn’t good enough.”

Asked whether the war’s declining public approval could hurt Republican prospects in November, Trump initially replied, “It’s possible.” He later added, “It should help, because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.”

The president asserted that “100 percent of the people” oppose Iran acquiring nuclear strike capabilities “including worldwide.”

“So, when you say it that way, it would help,” Trump added. “If you don’t say that, it could hurt.”

Source link