Trump Reportedly Mulls Sending Additional 10,000 Troops to Middle East Amid Iran Buildup

Luis M. Alvarez/AP photo

President Donald Trump is considering deploying 10,000 more soldiers to the Middle East amid the ongoing war with Iran, The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday night.

The report comes as 2,200 Marines from the 31st Expeditionary Unit are expected to arrive in the region by Friday. In addition, 2,500 Marines from the 11th Expeditionary Unit are also on their way.

“The Pentagon is looking at sending up to 10,000 additional ground troops to the Middle East to give President Trump more military options even as he weighs peace talks with Tehran, Department of Defense officials with knowledge of the planning said,” the Journal reported on Thursday.

The news comes as reports suggest that Trump is considering invading Iran’s Khrag Island in the Persian Gulf to put pressure on Iran’s government to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran closed shortly after the U.S. and Israel began bombing the country on Feb. 28. About 20% of the world’s crude oil flows through the strait. The war and subsequent closure have sent oil prices surging. Iran has oil facilities on Kharg Island, which process about 90% of Iran’s crude.

“The force, which would likely include infantry and armored vehicles, would be added to the roughly 5,000 Marines and the thousands of paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division who have already been ordered to the region,” the Journal added.

The report said that although it is unclear where the forces would be deployed in the Middle East, “they will likely be within striking distance of Iran and Kharg Island.”

“All announcements regarding troop deployments will come from the Department of War,” Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly told the Journal, using the non-statutory name for the Department of Defense. “As we have said, President Trump always has all military options at his disposal.”

Earlier on Thursday, The Times of Israel reported that Trump is “leaning toward ordering a major US ground operation against Iran.”

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