News · Foreign policy · National (US)
Two U.S. naval groups are heading to the Middle East, where American forces could soon total about 20,000.
Key takeaways
About 9,000 additional U.S. forces are heading to the Middle East as President Donald Trump says the seven-month war with Iran will end soon. Trump said Thursday that he expected a U.S.
A U.S. official told CBS News that the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group and USS Makin Island Amphibious Group were deploying to the region. Their arrival could bring the U.S. presence there to three aircraft carrier groups and roughly 20,000 forces.
Trump also said European leaders agreed Friday to release a large amount of diesel from their stockpiles to address high prices following an emergency meeting of Group of Seven leaders.
A tanker was struck by an unknown projectile Friday afternoon while traveling through the Strait of Hormuz and leaving the Persian Gulf, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The impact caused a small fire and a loss of power, but the crew extinguished the fire and continued the voyage. The agency reported no casualties or environmental damage.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio also spoke Friday with Jordan’s King Abdullah II about regional security, including Lebanon, Syria and Hezbollah. Iran has repeatedly targeted Jordan’s Muwaffaq Salti Air Base, which houses U.S. troops and aircraft. Three American service members were killed in a July strike on the base, and another strike damaged U.S. military aircraft in September.
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