US may send more soldiers to Middle East

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon is expected to send ​thousands of soldiers from the U.S. Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the ‌matter told Reuters on Tuesday, adding to a massive U.S. military buildup even as President Donald Trump talks about a possible deal with Tehran to end the war.

It was reported on March 18 that Trump’s administration was considering deploying thousands of additional U.S. troops, a move that would expand options to include deployment of forces ​inside Iranian territory. Such an escalation could dramatically raise the stakes in the conflict, which is already in its fourth week ​and has roiled global markets.

The officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, did not specify where in the Middle East the troops would go or when they would arrive in the region. The soldiers are stationed at Fort

Bragg, North Carolina.