U.S. Adds Carrier and 10,000 Troops to Middle East

(Bloomberg) — The Pentagon is deploying an additional aircraft carrier and 10,000 sailors and Marines to the Persian Gulf, according to a US official, a move that gives American commanders more options if President Donald Trump chooses to escalate attacks on Iran.

The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier left its San Diego home port on Sunday and is headed to the Middle East, the official said.

When the Roosevelt arrives, the US could again have three carrier strike groups in the region, the same number as in late April, although a decision on maintaining that level hasn’t been made, the official added.

The USS George Washington remains in the region but the George H.W. Bush has temporarily departed, according to the official. Before this year’s operations against Iran, the last time the US had three carrier strike groups in the Middle East was in 2003, when they supported the early phase of the invasion of Iraq.

US Central Command, which oversees military operations in the Middle East, said in a statement that “we don’t discuss unit schedules for operational security reasons.”Play Video

The carrier movements unfold as Trump said increased military strikes against Iran were “possible” after the November midterm elections.

On Monday, the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group — with an assault ship, aircraft and 2,200 Marines — also set sail to the Middle East, giving Centcom additional options, the US official said. The USS Boxer amphibious readiness group is currently conducting operations near the Strait of Hormuz.

The US has sent two additional missile batteries over the past weeks to protect oil and gas facilities in Qatar and Saudi Arabia, Axios reported, citing two American officials and one regional source. That deployment was intended to reassure US security partners that Washington would protect key energy installations if Trump orders new attacks, Axios said.

Keeping three carriers in the region risks exacerbating the Navy’s current readiness woes, according to Ronald O’Rourke, a longtime analyst of naval forces. 

The strain on the service was underscored by the extended deployments of the USS Abraham Lincoln, which arrived in Thailand last month after a nine-month tour, and the USS Gerald Ford, which was dispatched to the Mideast after supporting operations against Venezuela and was at sea for 11 months.

“Maintaining even a two-carrier presence in that area over an extended period of time would be a strain for the carrier force,” said O’Rourke, who retired from the Congressional Research Service. But “maintaining a three-carrier presence in that area for an extended period would be a significantly greater strain.” 

The prospect of a renewed flare-up in the Middle East leaves investors balancing the inflationary threat from higher oil prices against signs the US Federal Reserve may take a more measured approach to further tightening. Oil rose on concerns of military action, with Brent up 0.4% to $102.74 a barrel after gaining 4% on Thursday.

There’s been a lull in major US or Iranian military strikes amid efforts to rekindle diplomatic negotiations. However, talks to end the war — now in its eighth month – remain deadlocked over issues including Tehran’s control of the Strait of Hormuz. 

Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has suggested in private talks recently that Tehran was willing to restore nuclear inspectors’ access to bombed facilities in exchange for sanctions relief. 

© 2026 Bloomberg L.P.

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