What happened
A third US aircraft carrier and thousands of troops have been deployed to the Middle East, according to a US defense official. The aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, carrying a contingent of Marines, set sail from San Diego last week.
The deployments come amid an ongoing armed standoff with Iran, which began in February. The US already has two carrier strike groups and one amphibious ready group operating in the Middle East, and the latest deployments could bring the total to three carrier strike groups and two amphibious ready groups by late November.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt will be accompanied by an air wing consisting of multiple squadrons of strike fighter jets, as well as helicopter and support aircraft squadrons. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group will carry a mix of strike aircraft and attack helicopters, and the embarked 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit will consist of around 2,000 Marines.
The US strategy in the region is to economically constrain Iran while safeguarding trade through the Strait of Hormuz. US forces have been escorting commercial ships through the key waterway and maintaining a blockade on ships attempting to trade with Iran. The US government has also imposed new sanctions on Tehran, targeting the country's domestic industries and financial lifelines.
