The United States is deploying a third aircraft carrier group to the Middle East to strengthen its military presence near Iran, according to a US official. Additional military personnel are also being sent to the region.
Speaking to an Arab television channel, the official said the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group departed San Diego for the region on Sunday.
The official added that the Makin Island Marine Expeditionary Unit, comprising more than 2,000 Marines, had also been dispatched.
According to the official, three aircraft carrier groups and two amphibious landing groups will be positioned around Iran by the end of November.
The report said thousands of additional personnel and F-35 fighter jets were being deployed alongside approximately 50,000 US troops already stationed in the region.
The official said the deployment was intended to preserve military options for President Donald Trump. Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said American forces were ready to carry out a new operation if ordered by the president.
