United States President Donald Trump is sending another aircraft carrier towards the Middle East, potentially putting three American carrier groups in the region as Washington weighs its next move against Iran.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group have been ordered towards the region along with the USS Makin Island amphibious group.
Together, the ships are carrying more than 7,000 sailors and around 2,000 Marines.
But the number of troops is only part of the story.
Two US aircraft carriers, the USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington, are already operating in the region.
The arrival of Theodore Roosevelt could therefore leave the US with three carrier groups in the Middle East at the same time, although one of the existing carriers could also leave as part of a rotation.
If all three remain, the US naval presence in the region could rise above 20,000 sailors and Marines, backed by hundreds of aircraft.
The buildup comes at a particularly sensitive time.
Trump has refused to rule out another round of strikes on Iran and told Time magazine that increasing the bombing after the November 3 midterm elections was “possible.”
He also threatened Tehran with a major response if investigators establish an Iranian link to Wednesday’s attack aboard a FlyDubai flight bound for Israel.
Asked about a possible connection, Trump said the early information he was receiving suggested there could be one, but added that authorities were still working to establish what happened.
If Iran was found responsible, Trump warned it would be “hit very hard.”
No evidence establishing Iranian responsibility for the incident has yet been made public.
Trump has also rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the conflict, saying the offer was “not good enough.”
The military buildup does not itself mean another US attack has been ordered.
Carrier groups can give Washington several options, from carrying out airstrikes to protecting American forces, ships and regional allies.
But having three of them potentially operating around the Middle East would give Trump considerably more military firepower if he decides to escalate again.
For now, he is keeping that decision to himself.
Asked where the US might strike next, Trump replied: “I can’t tell you that because look, you know, you’re asking, where are you going to bomb?”
2026-10-03 17:54:00
