U.S. Dispatches More Troops to Middle East
By Nino Kopaleishvili
Monday, October 5, 2026
Amid rising diplomatic and military tensions between the United States and Iran, the U.S. government has ordered the deployment of thousands of additional troops to the Middle East.
Around 9,000 U.S. soldiers, 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines will be relocated to the region, the Associated Press (AP) reported on Friday. The decision follows U.S. President Donald J. Trump's announcement on Thursday that strikes would resume. However, it has not been specified whether the military operations could take place before or after the midterm elections.
On Wednesday, the White House rejected a peace proposal put forward by an Iranian delegation, which was reportedly viewed primarily as an attempt by Tehran to avoid further economic sanctions. According to the AP, Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he would "blow them up" if an agreement between the U.S. and Iran was not reached in the near future.
The same day, Iranian officials confirmed that they had received an official response from the U.S. government regarding the proposal.
"We will make every effort to bring the agreement to fruition and will firmly stand up for the rights of the Iranian people," Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said. "The agreement must now be based on a win-win strategy."
At the UN General Assembly in late September, Trump reiterated that Iran would not be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon. On Thursday, the General Assembly met to discuss the latest veto by China and Russia of a U.S.-backed sanctions panel of experts concerning Iran's nuclear facilities.
In an interview with Time magazine, Trump said Iran's economy had deteriorated, with inflation remaining high. He also referred to the large-scale killing of civilians during protests in Iran that began in December 2025 and continued until mid-January.
Three U.S. aircraft carriers are expected to be in the region by early October. As a result, more than 20,000 U.S. sailors and Marines will be deployed in the region. The USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are already in the area. According to the AP, it was the first time since 2003 that the Navy had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East.
Last week, international media reported that crude oil exports through the Strait of Hormuz were gradually returning to pre-war levels.
