US sends third carrier strike group to Middle East in biggest buildup since 2003
The USS Theodore Roosevelt left San Diego on Sunday accompanied by a Marine expeditionary unit of more than 2,000 troops, bringing the potential total US military presence in the region to more than 60,000.
The USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group has departed San Diego for the Middle East, part of the largest buildup in the region since 2003. The deployment, consisting of the Theodore Roosevelt, USS Chosin and destroyer squadrons, is accompanied by the amphibious ready group led by the USS Makin Island. This brings the total number of additional troops to an estimated 9,000 to 10,000, arriving by the end of November.
Currently, over 50,000 military personnel are already stationed in the Middle East. By November's end, three carrier strike groups and two amphibious ready groups will be positioned around Iran, according to a US official. This deployment follows the US and Israel's war on Iran beginning on February 28. The USS Boxer amphibious-ready group is already present in the region.
Theodore Roosevelt is set to replace USS George Washington, which could lead to a simultaneous presence of three carrier strike groups, a situation not seen since 2003. Should this overlap occur, it would represent the second such deployment since 2003. The potential for new strikes against Iran remains a possibility as the November midterm elections draw near.
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