US Deploys Thousands Of Additional Troops To Middle East Despite Trump Denial

The United States military is deploying thousands of additional Marines and sailors to the Middle East, American officials confirmed Friday.

The deployment includes the USS Boxer along with its Marine Expeditionary Unit and accompanying warship.

The move comes one day after President Donald Trump denied plans to send American soldiers to the Middle East region.

Naija News reported Thursday that Trump ruled out deploying American soldiers to the Middle East as the Iran war heads toward a fourth week.

“I’m not putting troops anywhere. If I were, I certainly wouldn’t tell you. But I’m not putting troops. We will do whatever is necessary,” Trump told reporters Thursday during an Oval Office meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

Naija News gathered that officials who spoke with reporters on condition of anonymity confirmed the deployment on Friday but did not specify what role the additional troops would play in the region.

Another official said the troops were departing the West Coast of the United States about three weeks ahead of schedule.

Deployment Contradicts President’s Public Statement

The deployment contradicts Trump’s public statement from Thursday, though the president had suggested he would not publicly reveal military plans even if they existed.

Reports emerged on Wednesday suggesting the Trump administration was considering deploying thousands of American troops to reinforce operations in the Middle East.

Thirteen American troops have been killed since Iran launched strikes against US military bases following the start of the conflict on February 28.

The deployment comes as the Iran conflict enters its fourth week, with casualties mounting on both sides.

Israel has, however, killed several top Iranian officials in recent days, including top security official Ali Larijani on Tuesday, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib on Wednesday.

Iran has effectively halted oil passage through the Strait of Hormuz, sparking a global energy crisis that has prompted Trump to call on countries including China, France, Japan, South Korea and the United Kingdom to send warships to help secure the strategic waterway.