New US naval deployments to the Middle East could expand President Donald Trump's military options as his administration weighs additional strikes on Iran.
The Pentagon is sending the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East, two US officials confirmed to Fox News on Tuesday.
This follows a US official telling The Jerusalem Post on October 1 that the aircraft carrier and a unit of US Marines would be sent to US Central Command (CENTCOM)'s sphere of operations.
The USS Makin Island amphibious ready group also departed San Diego, carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, the Post reported at the time.
According to Fox's report, the aircraft carrier group is due to arrive in the Middle East by the end of November.
Currently, two other US aircraft carriers are deployed in the region, namely the USS George H. W. Bush, which arrived in April, and the USS George Washington, which arrived in August to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln.
However, US Naval Institute News reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was moving to US Central Command's area of operations in order to relieve the USS George Washington.
In addition, the USS Boxer amphibious ready group is deployed in the Arabian Sea, carrying the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, alongside the USS Portland and USS Comstock.
Additional naval deployments could provide Trump with more options if strikes on Iran ramp up after midterms
"This will provide more options for the US as President [Donald] Trump is reportedly considering ramping up strikes on Iran after the [November 3] Midterms," Fox News's Chief National Security Correspondent Jennifer Griffen wrote.
The Jerusalem Post also assessed on October 1 that, after this latest deployment, Trump will have significantly greater military capabilities and a wider range of options to act against Iran.
Meanwhile, the US military has been conducting routine troop rotations in recent weeks, and additional troops and aircraft are expected to arrive in the coming weeks as part of preparations for an escalation in the Middle East, security sources told Walla on October 4.
Some 3,000 US troops are currently stationed across Israel. Their duties include operating air defense systems, serving as pilots and support crews, and handling logistics and headquarters operations.
Amichai Stein, Idan Kweller, and Amir Bohbot contributed to this report.