The U.S. military is expanding its presence in the Middle East by dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships, according to the Associated Press. The deployment includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which would bring a third U.S. aircraft carrier into the region.
The buildup comes as sitting U.S. President Donald Trump has again warned that new strikes against Iran could be considered. AP attributed the troop figure to U.S. officials.
Margalla News is reporting the deployment and Trump's public comments as current developments; no future strike is being presented as certain or already ordered.