Special Operations Forces Sent to Mideast as Trump Weighs Next Move
The New York Times • • nation
Key Points:
- Several hundred U.S. Special Operations forces, including Army Rangers and Navy SEALs, have arrived in the Middle East to support ongoing operations related to the conflict with Iran, joining thousands of Marines and Army paratroopers already deployed.
- These commandos have not been assigned specific missions but could be tasked with safeguarding the Strait of Hormuz, seizing Kharg Island, or targeting Iran’s nuclear facilities at Isfahan.
- The total U.S. military presence in the region now exceeds 50,000 troops, about 10,000 more than usual, as President Trump considers options to escalate the monthlong conflict with Iran.
- The Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for approximately 20% of the world’s oil, has been effectively closed by Iran in retaliation against U.S. and Israeli actions, prompting U.S. efforts to potentially reopen it.
