© EPA/ WILL OLIVER / POOL An expansion of US troop numbers in the area is under deliberation, coinciding with pronouncements from Trump about discussions with Iran.
The White House and the Pentagon are mulling over the deployment of at least ten thousand more American soldiers to the Middle East in the coming days amidst the continuing conflict with Iran , Axios reveals , referencing a high-ranking official from the US Department of War.
Should the administration of US President Donald Trump opt to deploy additional forces, this would greatly swell the ranks of US military personnel in the zone – another possible indication that the US is earnestly gearing up for a land-based operation in Iran.
This significant augmentation of the US military presence in the Middle East surfaces as Trump asserts that the US is engaging in dialogue with Iran concerning a resolution to cease hostilities. Iranian authorities have thus far declined to participate in a high-profile meeting with the US and suspect that Washington’s diplomatic efforts are a ruse.
A spokesperson from the US Department of War informed Axios that a determination could be reached in the following week, and the extra forces potentially dispatched to the Middle East would stem from distinct combat teams, differing from those already stationed in the region.
News sources have previously indicated that the Pentagon is devising plans for a “decisive assault” on Iran , which could involve the utilization of ground troops and an extensive aerial bombardment campaign. Trump has not yet settled on any of these possibilities, but is willing to intensify the situation if discussions with Iran do not produce substantial outcomes shortly.
Based on recent developments, the Iranian campaign, which Trump anticipated conducting expeditiously, is reaching a precarious deadlock. Iran exhibits no inclination to yield, communications about negotiations are unclear, and the likelihood of broadening and extending the conflict is increasingly tangible. How Washington is seeking an escape from this predicament and why Tehran is currently unwilling to broker peace, was detailed by Vyacheslav Likhachev in the article “ If Iran does not surrender — will Trump negotiate with it? ”