Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The US military is sending about 9,000 troops on a group of ships to the Middle East, a US official said on Thursday, as President Donald Trump said fresh strikes against Iran could still be an option. The move, which includes a third aircraft carrier, points to a further rise in the American military presence in the region.
The deployment comes as Trump weighs his next steps in the conflict with Iran ahead of the midterm elections in the United States. It also follows fresh concerns over signs that the conflict may be taking a more complex turn, including possible links being examined between Iran and a FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain and tried to crash a flight bound for Israel on Wednesday.
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Speaking to reporters at the White House, Trump said early indications suggested Iran was linked to the FlyDubai co-pilot. Asked if there were any connections between the attacker and Tehran, Trump said, “I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is yes, but we’re working on it right now,” without giving details. He added that if the link to Iran is established, the United States would retaliate. “Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry,” Trump said. “You just ask them. They know what happened. They’ll be hit very hard.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had earlier told Fox News that investigators believed the FlyDubai suspect underwent “Islamist, radical indoctrination” but did not give further details.
The ships now heading to the Middle East carry more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines. They include the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which recently deployed with the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which includes the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage amphibious landing ships. According to the US official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations, the move could put three carriers in the region by the end of October.
With personnel already in the Middle East, the deployment would raise the US naval presence to more than 20,000 sailors and Marines, along with hundreds of aircraft. The Navy had earlier deployed three carrier strike groups in the Middle East in April for the first time since 2003. The carriers USS George HW Bush and USS George Washington are already in the region, along with the USS Boxer amphibious readiness group. The George Washington is usually deployed to the Pacific Ocean, but it was moved to the Middle East to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln after its crew spent more than 260 days continuously at sea.
In a Time magazine interview published on Thursday, Trump also said it was “possible” that he would increase bombing in Iran after the November 3 elections in the US. When asked for more detail, he said, “I can’t tell you that because look, you know, you’re asking, where are you going to bomb?” Trump said he had rejected Iran’s latest ceasefire proposal because “things that I wouldn’t have approved a year ago I wouldn’t have today”. He cited as an example an offer from Iran to “open up” the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy shipping route, but said the wider proposal was “not good enough”.
Asked if the increasingly unpopular war could hurt Republican prospects in November, Trump first said, “It’s possible.” He then added, “It should help, because Iran will not have a nuclear weapon.” He said “100 per cent of the people” opposed Iran having nuclear attack capabilities “including worldwide”, and added, “So, when you say it that way, it would help. If you don’t say that, it could hurt.” At the same time, there is growing concern that Tehran may be turning to asymmetrical tactics after the FlyDubai attack and another suspicious incident in the UK.
Authorities believe Iran may be looking to change its strategy as the US claims greater success in weakening Tehran’s hold over the Strait of Hormuz and helping Gulf allies move oil to market, while a US Navy blockade is shutting down Iran’s own oil exports. Taken together, the troop deployment, Trump’s latest warnings and the concerns over new tactics show the conflict entering a more uncertain phase.
With PTI Inputs
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
