More than 10,000 additional US troops are expected to reach the Middle East this month, US officials said Wednesday as reported by The Washington Post. The deployment includes 6,000 personnel aboard the USS George HW Bush and its carrier strike group, which is currently sailing around Africa towards the region.Another 4,200 troops are part of the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group, which is expected to arrive by the end of April. The group includes more than 800 marines, along with helicopters and landing craft.The build-up comes as Donald Trump’s two-week ceasefire with Iran is set to end next Wednesday, although officials say it could be extended. When the USS George HW Bush reaches the region, it will join two other carrier groups- the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R Ford, both of which were involved in recent fighting with Iran.Two US officials also told Post that planning is ongoing for a range of possible ground operations in Iran. These include scenarios involving special forces being deployed to secure Iran’s highly enriched uranium, as well as potential landings on islands and coastal areas near the Strait of Hormuz.Even as the administration continues to send additional troops to the region, Trump said in an interview aired Wednesday that the war in Iran was “very close to over.” He has repeatedly declared a US victory within days of the conflict beginning.The US military presence in the region includes troops with a wide range of roles and capabilities. In March, Donald Trump sent the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit on board the USS Tripoli, which is operating in the Arabian Sea south of the strait.Nearby, the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is deployed, with F-18 fighter squadrons known as the “Tophatters,” “Black Aces,” and “Vigilantes,” along with the Marine F-35 squadron called the “Black Knights.” The US Navy has also positioned eight Aegis guided missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea within striking range of Iran.
