Trump considers military escalation against Iran by sending a third naval attack group

Donald Trump prepares for escalation against Iran. Increasing pressure on Tehran, the Pentagon has sent a third strike group to the Middle East centered on the USS Theodore Roosevelt aircraft carrier and other Marine Corps ships, amounting to an additional contingent of 9-10,000 personnel, just as the American president weighs the possibility of resuming massive attacks after the November 3 midterm elections.

The tycoon has reiterated in recent days that he is evaluating the relaunch of a bombing campaign in the coming weeks. “Now I have to make a decision: either Iran signs the agreement, or it will no longer exist,” he threatened. Thus the ships, fighters, Marines and Navy personnel on the move will arrive in the area by the end of November, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, given that the Roosevelt left its base in San Diego only on Sunday for a previously scheduled mission, while the amphibious naval group USS Makin Island, made up of three units with the Marines of the 13th Expeditionary Unit on board, left on Monday.

Two aircraft carriers, USS George H.W. Bush and USS George Washington are already in the Middle East. If the Washington instead of returning to Yokosuka remained even after the arrival of the Roosevelt, an unlikely hypothesis given that the Western Pacific is devoid of US aircraft carriers, the region would find itself hosting three naval attack groups for the first time since April, when Iran and the United States signed the fragile ceasefire, in a new test of American strength against the Pasdaran. In addition to the Bush and the Washington, the ships of the USS Boxer amphibious group are also present in the Middle East: the additional military personnel on board will add to the over 50,000 soldiers already deployed.

Meanwhile, in recent weeks, the US military has sent two additional Patriot missile batteries to protect oil and gas facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. The scenario sees the United States aiming to reassure the two allies on the protection of their strategic infrastructures from Tehran's aggression, even more so in the event that Trump decides to restart "major combat operations" against Iran.

On the other hand, the Pentagon is continuing its efforts at forced stages to reintegrate the arsenals put to the test by the war. Defense giant Raytheon has won a $24.4 billion contract to accelerate the production of Sm-6 missiles "critical ammunition for anti-aircraft defense and combat against surface targets". A five-year agreement, with a further two years as an option, which "will allow production to be speeded up", according to Pentagon plans. The agreement, from a strategic point of view, is linked to the recent 22.9 billion Rtx order for the Tomahawks, the longest-lived and most reliable cruise missiles in use.

“Our mission is to ensure that our warfighters are never in an even fight,” said Michael P. Duffey, Under Secretary of Defense. And the completed multi-year contracts ensure "the supply and lethal superiority needed for our forces to prevail, while requiring our industrial base to produce at wartime rates," Duffey added.