The United States is increasing its military presence in the Middle East. The American army plans to deploy an additional 10,000 soldiers in the region in the near future in anticipation of a possible resumption of hostilities with Iran, as reported by the Washington Post on April 15.
According to officials cited by the American media, the deployment includes an aeronaval group with about 6,000 personnel aboard the USS George H. W. Bush, the US Navy’s nuclear aircraft carrier, as well as approximately 4,200 Marines with a naval infantry amphibious group, whose arrival is expected later this month.
With the imminent arrival of the USS George H. W. Bush, currently sailing around Africa, the number of aircraft carriers in the region will be three. Currently, only the USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald Ford are stationed in the Middle East.
This troop deployment is part of an ongoing American maritime blockade targeting Iranian ports and the Strait of Hormuz. This strategy, led by President Donald Trump’s administration, aims to exert economic pressure on Tehran, particularly by depriving it of its oil revenue, in hopes of forcing concessions on its nuclear program during negotiations.
“Only 10% of our navy is being used.”
Washington reassured on Thursday that it will maintain its blockade of Iranian ports “as long as necessary,” through the voice of US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. “We control traffic in the Strait of Hormuz using only 10% of our navy,” he added.
The US Central Command (CENTCOM) reported on Wednesday the interception of a cargo ship flying the Iranian flag. This vessel had departed from Bandar Abbas and crossed the Strait of Hormuz, apparently trying to circumvent the American maritime blockade. Pete Hegseth specified that “13 interdiction and boarding operations” have taken place “since the announcement of the American blockade.”
CENTCOM stated that no ship had violated the blockade since its establishment on Monday, which was contradicted by a report from the tracking company Tanker Trackers. According to the report, satellite images show that several tankers have bypassed the blockade of Iranian ports and are now in Iranian waters, including an Iranian-flagged tanker.
