Washington, United States. The United States is preparing to deploy thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East. The Wall Street Journal reported that a brigade of about 3,000 troops is expected to deploy soon.
Planned deployment
According to the Wall Street Journal on Tuesday, orders for the deployment were anticipated in the coming hours. The deployment is expected to include ground forces and a command element responsible for operational planning and logistics.
Earlier troop movements
The report follows earlier accounts that 5,000 US marines and sailors, along with an amphibious assault ship, had already been dispatched to the area.
Trump comments on Iran
Speaking from the White House, President Donald Trump said “this war has been won” when asked about developments in Iran, and suggested that internal changes in the country amounted to a shift in leadership. “We really have regime change… because the leaders are all very different from the ones we started with,” he said.
Conflicting claims on negotiations
Trump said Iran had made concessions regarding its nuclear programme. “They have agreed that they will never acquire nuclear weapons…we are in negotiations right now,” he said. Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi denied that any negotiations had taken place.
Reference to Strait of Hormuz
Trump also referred to what he described as a “very big gift” from Iran regarding the Strait of Hormuz, but did not provide details.
What do you think the planned troop deployment could mean for US involvement in the Middle East?
