Reinforcement of Saudi Arabia and Qatar’s “Patriot Missiles”
The war between the United States and Iran has resumed, and President Trump is considering re-attacking Iran after the midterm elections. According to US media reports, the US military has recently dispatched the aircraft carrier "Theodore Roosevelt" to the Middle East, which may form a powerful firepower network of three aircraft strike groups, and at the same time dispatch an additional 9,000 to 10,000 troops. The United States has also reinforced its "Patriot missile" systems to its allies Saudi Arabia and Qatar, hoping to secure Saudi Arabia's consent to the use of its airspace by ensuring the safety of energy facilities in the two countries.
3 aircraft strike groups assembled with more than 50,000 troops
The Wall Street Journal pointed out that the Roosevelt left its home port of San Diego on September 27 and sailed to the Middle East according to its schedule. It is unclear whether it will replace the deployed USS Washington, or whether it will be on standby with the USS Washington and USS Bush, forming the scale of the deployment of the first three-ship strike group joint operation since April.
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Maritime military blockade and escort 20 warships
In addition, the amphibious readiness group "USS Makin Island" consisting of three amphibious ships and carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Group departed on the 28th. This wave of additional military deployment includes more than 7,000 navy and 2,000 marines, and is expected to be deployed by the end of November. The US military currently has more than 50,000 troops in the Middle East, as well as about 20 warships used for maritime military blockades and escorting merchant ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
U.S. Secretary of War (Defense) Hergseth has also expanded the deployment of military forces in recent weeks, including the deployment of combat units to counter Iranian missiles and drones, as well as the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, which can carry out missions deep behind enemy lines.
U.S. news network Axios reported that U.S. President Trump intended to restart the attack on Tehran in early August, but changed his mind due to lobbying from Saudi Arabia and Qatar and turned to a strategy of extreme economic pressure. Until recently, Trump vetoed the latest peace negotiation plan proposed by Iran and revived the idea of using force. The U.S. military recently deployed two additional sets of Patriot missiles to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to ensure that if the U.S. launches another large-scale military operation against Iran, the oil and gas facilities in the two countries will not be affected.
Missile inventory depletion raises concerns about U.S. global deployment
If the U.S. military decides to launch an offensive, it will need authorization from Saudi Arabia to use its airspace. If Riyadh believes that oil facilities lack security, it is unlikely to agree to US demands. However, the United States has consumed a large amount of its Patriot missile inventory in the Ukraine-Russia war and the U.S.-Israel war, and has further supported the Patriots in the Persian Gulf, causing outsiders to worry about Washington's war readiness in other parts of the world.
In an exclusive interview published by Time magazine on the 1st, Trump said that Tehran's latest peace proposal is "not good enough" and "conditions that I would not accept a year ago, I still will not accept now", indicating that he may expand bombing of Iran after the midterm elections on November 3, and refuting the Pentagon's report on ammunition shortages. Trump also said he could have ended the conflict at any time but chose to extend it "because I wanted to go further."
Asked whether the Iran war threatens the Republican election? Trump acknowledged that harm could indeed be caused. But he also believes that from the perspective of not allowing Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, it will actually help the election, because everyone in the world "opposes Iran to acquire nuclear attack capabilities."
