Special Operations Forces, Marines and Army troops now in Middle East, sources say

3 days ago 8

Hundreds of U.S. Special Operations Forces, including Navy SEALs and Army Rangers, are present successful the Middle East, arsenic good arsenic thousands of Marines and Army paratroopers, according to sources acquainted with the deployments.

The sources said having the forces successful the portion gives President Trump subject options successful Iran, including operations that could people opening the Strait of Hormuz, instrumentality lipid from Kharg Island oregon seize Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium.

The New York Times archetypal reported the forces had arrived successful the region.

U.S. Central Command declined to comment.

President Trump said Monday greeting connected Truth Social that his medication was continuing to negociate with Iran and expressed optimism that an statement would soon beryllium reached to extremity the war, now successful its 5th week, that was launched by the U.S. and Israel connected Feb. 28.

But Iranian officials person repeatedly said that nary nonstop talks are underway and dismissed a 15-point ceasefire connection from the White House arsenic "excessive and unreasonable," raising doubts that immoderate communal crushed mightiness beryllium rapidly found.

In the aforesaid post, Mr. Trump warned that if a woody "is not soon reached" and the Strait of Hormuz isn't instantly opened, the U.S. would onslaught each of Iran's "Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg Island (and perchance each desalinization plants!), which we person purposefully not yet 'touched.'"

More than 3,500 U.S. troops, including the USS Tripoli with astir 2,500 Marines, arrived successful the Middle East, officials announced Saturday, arsenic strikes successful the Iran war intensified. A 2nd Marine Expeditionary Unit is connected its mode to the region.

The U.S. was besides expected to nonstop elements of the 82nd Airborne to the region, a contingent of nether 1,500 work members.

Tucker Reals and Eleanor Watson contributed to this report.

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