US President Donald Trump has approved the deployment of a third aircraft carrier and an additional Marine force to the Middle East, The Jerusalem Post has reported.
The deployment involves the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and an additional Marine division, both of which are heading to the region for an extended mission. The Roosevelt left San Francisco on Sunday as part of the latest US military buildup.
A day later, the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group departed San Diego carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The unit consists of about 2,200 Marines and personnel, while approximately 2,000 sailors are aboard the three ships accompanying the group.
The latest movement comes as the United States already has two aircraft carriers operating in the Arabian Sea. The USS George Washington arrived in the region in mid-August, while the USS George H.W. Bush is also operating there as part of a carrier strike group.
The carrier groups are equipped with fighter aircraft and supported by escort vessels, providing Washington with significant military capabilities in the region.
According to the US Naval Institute News, the Roosevelt is heading toward the US Central Command area of operations and is expected to relieve the George Washington.
The United States also has the USS Boxer amphibious ready group deployed in the Arabian Sea. The group carries the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit and operates alongside the USS Portland and USS Comstock.
The latest deployment increases the number of US naval and Marine assets available in the Middle East at a time of heightened tensions involving Iran.
The additional military presence could provide the Trump administration with a broader range of options in responding to developments involving Tehran, including potential military operations.
The deployment is also taking place ahead of the US midterm elections. According to the report, the increased concentration of American military forces in the region means Trump will have substantially greater military capabilities and more operational options against Iran during the period leading up to the elections.
The movements of the aircraft carriers and Marine units underscore the strategic importance Washington continues to attach to the Middle East, particularly amid ongoing security concerns surrounding Iran and regional waterways.
The US naval presence has also been involved in protecting commercial shipping and supporting operations in the Arabian Sea and around the Strait of Hormuz, a major global energy route.
With the Roosevelt now joining other major US naval assets in the region, Washington’s military posture is set to become significantly larger in the coming weeks.
