The Pentagon is deploying approximately 9,000 U.S. service members to the Middle East as part of an ongoing naval buildup in the U.S. Central Command theater. The deployment involves three warships carrying roughly 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines, alongside the dispatch of a third aircraft carrier to the region. The naval group is scheduled to arrive as the U.S. continues an economic pressure campaign and a maritime blockade against Iran.
The USS Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group and the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit departed San Diego on Monday, September 28, 2026. This group includes the USS Makin Island, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, and two amphibious landing ships, the USS Anchorage and the USS John P. Murtha. On Wednesday, September 30, 2026, a U.S. Pacific Fleet spokesperson stated that the group was conducting routine operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area, providing training for military actions ranging from combat to humanitarian assistance.
Separately, the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier is traveling across the Pacific to join the region. A U.S. official reported on Thursday, October 1, 2026, that the Roosevelt will likely take two to three weeks to reach the Arabian Sea. Once there, it is expected to relieve the USS George Washington. The Roosevelt typically carries 5,000 personnel. Currently, the aircraft carriers USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are already operating in Middle Eastern waters.
U.S. service members are currently tasked with enforcing a naval blockade intended to stop commercial traffic from entering or departing Iranian ports. U.S. Central Command reported on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, that forces had redirected 125 commercial vessels since the blockade resumed in July. This military activity directly affects international shipping and the global oil market, as the blockade aims to shut down Iranian oil exports while ensuring that allied oil reaches the market through the Strait of Hormuz. President Trump stated on October 1, 2026, that he expects oil prices to decrease once the conflict concludes.
The increased military presence serves as a deterrent against what U.S. officials described as asymmetrical tactics following a stabbing incident on an Israel-bound flight on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, and a terror plot arrest at a U.S.-run air base in England on Thursday, October 1, 2026. President Trump indicated that further strikes against Iran remain a viable option following the U.S. midterm elections on November 3, 2026. The Pentagon has not specified an end date for these deployments, though aircraft carriers may briefly overlap in the Arabian Sea throughout October 2026.