U.S. forces await the decisive moment with Iran
As Washington amasses its forces, the outlines of a potential war with Iran remain unclear, amid mutual threats and intensive military movements.
On Wednesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said that reaching an agreement with Iran to end the war in the Middle East was “very possible,” while not ruling out a resumption of strikes.
In a post on his platform Truth Social, Trump wrote: “Assuming Iran agrees to what has been agreed upon — and that is a big assumption — the epic, truly legendary operation of anger will have reached its end.”
He simultaneously warned that “if they do not agree, the bombing will begin, and it will unfortunately be at a much higher and more intense level than before.”
In this regard, The New York Times quoted a U.S. official as saying that Trump had deployed around 50,000 troops to the region, supported by aircraft carriers, destroyers, marine units, and combat aircraft, as part of what he described as a mission to “destroy Iranian missiles and eliminate their missile industry.”
Under the headline “U.S. forces in the Middle East await the next decisive moment,” the newspaper noted that these forces “remain on alert” in the region, despite conflicting statements regarding the war with Iran.
While Trump announced on Tuesday the suspension of Operation “Freedom Project,” which he had launched to escort ships through the strategic Strait of Hormuz, effectively closed by Iran, he simultaneously maintained the blockade imposed on Iranian ports since April 13.
Trump stated that the decision to suspend Operation “Freedom Project” was taken at the request of Pakistan, which is leading mediation efforts to end the conflict between the two sides.
According to the newspaper, the current U.S. military deployment includes the following:
The 82nd Airborne Division
About 2,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, an elite U.S. Army unit, are present in the Middle East as part of force reinforcement.
The 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit
The arrival of 2,500 marines and an additional 2,500 sailors has helped keep U.S. troop levels in the region above 50,000.
Special Operations Forces
Several hundred U.S. special operations personnel arrived in the Middle East in March on a mission intended to provide President Trump with additional options, according to two U.S. military officials.
As specialized ground forces, they could be used in a mission targeting Iran’s highly enriched uranium at the nuclear site in Isfahan, according to the newspaper.
“Abraham Lincoln” and “George H. W. Bush”
The U.S. aircraft carriers USS Abraham Lincoln and USS George H. W. Bush, along with their carrier strike groups, warship fleets, and more than 10,000 sailors and marines, are stationed in the Arabian Sea.
The newspaper indicates that these forces could be used in operations aimed at taking control of strategic sites inside Iran, including nuclear facilities.
