Trump Seeks to Pressure Iran, Deploys Thousands of Troops to the Middle East

BlockBeats News, April 15th, according to The Washington Post, U.S. officials stated that the Pentagon will in the coming days be deploying several thousand troops to the Middle East as the Trump administration seeks to pressure Iran into possibly reaching an agreement to end weeks of conflict, while also considering additional strikes or ground actions if a fragile cease-fire fails to hold. The troops entering the region reportedly include around 6,000 soldiers on the USS George aircraft carrier and its escort ships.

In addition, approximately 4,200 soldiers carrying the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are expected to arrive by the end of the month. With a two-week cease-fire set to expire on April 22nd, the arrival of these additional forces is likely to coincide with the presence of U.S. warships already in the Middle East. These troops will join the roughly 50,000 personnel that the Pentagon previously said were involved in countering Iran operations.