deploying

Trump Mulls Sending Up to 10,000 More U.S. Ground Troops to the Middle East WASHINGTON — Confronting mounting regional tensions, Donald Trump is weighing a plan to send as many as 10,000 additional U.S. ground troops to the Middle East, on top of more than 6,000 personnel already en route, according to officials familiar with the deliberations. The prospective deployment is intended to reinforce the American military…

WASHINGTON — The United States is dispatching additional Marines and warships to the Middle East as the U.S.-Israeli campaign against Iran enters its third week, amid escalating attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz and a renewed surge in global oil prices, according to multiple U.S. media reports. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Japan-based amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli and attached Marines are en route to the region. The New York Times said as many as three ships carrying roughly 2,500 Marines were…

Iran lays mines in Strait of Hormuz; U.S. says it struck Iranian minelayers as oil prices whipsaw Iran has begun laying naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most critical energy chokepoint, according to two people familiar with U.S. intelligence. The move escalates a high-stakes standoff in a waterway that carries roughly one-fifth of global crude oil and has already been largely closed to commercial traffic amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. The mining remains limited for now — a few…

Turkey denies reports of deploying S-400 air defenses to Somalia ANKARA — Turkey’s Ministry of National Defense on Thursday rejected reports that Russian-made S-400 air defense systems had been transported to Somalia, framing the claims as unfounded and reiterating that the systems remain on Turkish soil under national control. The ministry said there are no plans to position S-400 batteries outside Turkey and emphasized the systems are fully operational and available for use by the Turkish Armed Forces as required. It…