The United States is sending the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and an amphibious force carrying more than 2,000 Marines toward the Middle East, a move that could put three U.S. carriers near Iran by late November as talks remain stalled.
The Roosevelt group left San Diego on Sunday, followed the next day by the USS Makin Island amphibious ready group carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. The broader deployment could add between 9,000 and 10,000 sailors and Marines to the region, according to U.S. officials cited by multiple news organizations. Two other carrier groups, led by the USS George Washington and USS George H.W. Bush, are already operating in or near the Middle East.
The buildup would give President Donald Trump more military options if he decides to resume strikes against Iran, while also strengthening the U.S. presence around critical shipping routes. The move comes after indirect negotiations over the conflict and the Strait of Hormuz failed to produce an agreement. Washington has rejected an Iranian proposal involving the reopening of the waterway in exchange for sanctions relief and other concessions.
U.S. officials have not publicly announced a final destination or mission for every ship, citing operational security.