Trump Signals New Action Against Iran, Sends About 9,000 More Troops to Middle East

Washington: US President Donald Trump has hinted at the possibility of fresh action against Iran, saying the US military is sending about 9,000 more troops to the Middle East aboard a group of naval vessels. According to the Associated Press, the group includes more than 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines.
The deployment includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group, which recently deployed alongside the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Iwo Jima-type amphibious force, the USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, which comprises the amphibious ships USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage. A US official, speaking to AP on condition of anonymity, said three American aircraft carrier groups could be in the region by the end of October. With the new deployment, the number of US sailors and Marines in the region will exceed 20,000, along with hundreds of aircraft.
The USS George H.W. Bush, USS George Washington and the USS Boxer Amphibious Ready Group are currently in the region. The George Washington normally operates in the Pacific but was sent to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, whose crew spent more than 260 consecutive days at sea during its extended deployment. The US Navy also deployed three carrier strike groups to the region in April, the first time that had happened since 2003.
In an interview with Time magazine published Thursday, Trump said it is possible to step up bombing in Iran after the November 3 US elections. Asked for more details, he said he could not share more about his strategy.
Ceasefire proposal rejected
Trump said he has rejected a ceasefire proposal from Iran, saying that what he would not accept a year ago, he would not accept today. He said Iran had offered to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key energy shipping route, but that the overall proposal was not good enough.