US President Donald Trump has announced that the war with Iran could end soon, but Washington is simultaneously stepping up its military presence in the Middle East with the deployment of thousands of additional troops in a cautious approach as tensions persist over blockade of the Strait of Hormuz and Tehran's nuclear enrichment.
The timing adds to the tension. A fragile ceasefire is nearing its April 22 deadline, talks have yet to deliver a breakthrough, and both sides continue to raise the stakes. Even as Trump speaks of an imminent end, Washington is clearly preparing for the possibility that the conflict may stretch further -- or take a sharper turn.
The US President projected confidence in an interview with Fox News, repeatedly indicating the conflict is nearing closure. "I think it can be over very soon. It will end soon," he said. In another remark, he hinted at rapid developments ahead, saying the world could witness an amazing two days.
Yet this optimism sits alongside a very different reality. According to The Washington Post, the Pentagon is sending nearly 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East. Around 6,000 are aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and its escort ships, while another 4,200 troops from the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit are expected to arrive later this month.
These reinforcements will join roughly 50,000 US personnel already deployed to operations linked in the Gulf region. Not to forget, three aircraft carriers -- USS Abraham Lincoln, USS Gerald R. Ford and USS George H.W. Bush -- are now in or near Middle Eastern waters, significantly expanding their operational reach and strike capability.
Alongside the troop build-up, the US has stepped up pressure on Iran by enforcing a naval blockade on its ports. Warships deployed across the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea have already stopped several vessels and sent them back. The operation is unfolding without clashes so far.
The aim is clear -- choke off Iran’s oil exports, which have been a pillar of its economy. But the move is also unsettling global markets. Oil prices, after a brief dip, have climbed back above $96 per barrel as fears grow over possible disruption in the Strait of Hormuz. However, Trump linked the outcome to fuel prices to Iran, saying that if the US succeeds in stopping Iran from getting a nuclear weapon, gas prices could return to pre-war levels. "When that’s settled, gas prices are going to go down tremendously," he said.trump
Iran, meanwhile, has issued a sharp warning. A senior military commander said Tehran could move to block key trade routes across the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea if the US blockade continues. In a statement carried by Iranian state media, the head of the military’s central command centre said the "powerful armed forces of the Islamic Republic will not allow any exports or imports to continue in the Persian Gulf, the Sea of Oman and the Red Sea".
As the blockade continues, the US has not officially agreed to the extension of its ceasefire with Iran, a senior official told Reuters on Wednesday. "There is continued engagement between the US and Iran to reach a deal," a senior US official said.
Source: India Today