U.S. sends thousands more troops to Mideast as Trump seeks to squeeze Iran
The infusion of firepower coincides with the administration’s maritime blockade against the regime in Tehran and as mediators urge both sides to extend their ceasefire.
The forces moving into the region include about 6,000 troops aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and several warships escorting it, said current and former officials, who like some others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss military movements. About 4,200 others with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked Marine Corps task force, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are expected to arrive near the end of the month.
The infusion of firepower appears likely to coalesce with warships already in the Middle East just as the two-week ceasefire is set to expire April 22 — and as the U.S. military enforces a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. The personnel will join the estimated 50,000 troops that the Pentagon has said are involved globally in operations to counter Iran.
The arrival of additional American warships will put even greater pressure on Iran and provide Adm. Brad Cooper, head of U.S. Central Command, and other senior military leaders with more options should negotiations with Tehran fail, said James Foggo, a retired Navy admiral and dean at the Center for Maritime Strategy in Northern Virginia.
Read Full Article Here… | The Washington Post
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