US extends troop deployments against Iran, WSJ sources say

Sources close to the issue told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that Minister Hegseth "quietly extended the duration of troop deployments" around the Strait of Hormuz.

Sources stated that Hegseth's step was part of US President Donald Trump's military strategy to increase his options against Iran, but this situation put pressure on soldiers and their families.

The newspaper reported, "According to people with knowledge of the matter, as the conflict drags on, so do the Pentagon's (Department of Defense) deployment plans. Many forces, including battleship crews, air defense units and paratroopers, are ordered to stay in the region longer than expected." statements were included.

The news also stated that a letter sent by US commanders to military families was examined and it was concluded that the Pentagon could keep elements of the 82nd Airborne Division in the Middle East until 2027.

Another of the sources in question claimed that the US military was "working under intense pressure" to repel Iran's missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, and that the standard deployment period of army air defense units was increased from 9 months to 12 months.

When the United States launched an attack against Iran nearly six months ago, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vowed to "deal a swift and decisive blow" against Iran to avoid a protracted conflict.

There is information in the US press that the Pentagon maintains a presence of 50 thousand people in the region and currently has 19 warships, including two aircraft carriers and 13 guided missile destroyers, in the seas in the Middle East.