US deploys 3rd carrier, 10,000 troops to Middle East against Iran
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Washington: The United States is deploying a third aircraft carrier and a large military contingent to the Middle East following renewed threats of military action against Iran. The nuclear-powered USS Theodore Roosevelt, accompanied by a force of around 10,000 troops, is expected to reach the region by the end of November, according to a report by Al Jazeera.
The deployment would significantly increase the US military presence in the region, taking the number of American personnel there above 20,000 and adding hundreds of fighter aircraft and other military assets, according to The Wall Street Journal. The US currently has two aircraft carriers deployed in the Middle East — the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington. The latter, normally based in the Pacific, was sent to the region to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which is returning after an extended deployment.
The latest military buildup comes amid escalating tensions between Washington and Tehran. President Donald Trump rejected a peace proposal reportedly put forward by Iran through Qatari mediators at the United Nations General Assembly. Trump said Iran was seeking an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz because it was nearing defeat.
Trump has also alleged an Iranian connection to an incident involving a Flydubai flight bound for Israel, in which the captain was reportedly attacked and injured by the co-pilot, who allegedly attempted to bring down the aircraft, according to the Associated Press.
The US president has threatened a strong response if Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is found to have been behind the incident. However, no official evidence establishing Iranian involvement has been made public so far.