According to a report quoting a senior US official, the Trump administration is preparing to take decisive action against the Iranian regime after the November midterm elections. As part of the preparations, the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group and the Makin Island amphibious group, carrying over 2,000 Marines, have departed San Diego for the Middle East. The deployment is part of a plan to position three aircraft carriers in the region by late November, providing what the official described as a range of military options against Iran.
A senior American official has told Al Jazeera that the Trump administration is preparing to "decide the Iranian regime" after the November midterm elections, according to a report carried by Abu Ali Express. The statement accompanies the ongoing deployment of a major naval force. The official said the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt and its strike group, along with the amphibious group USS Makin Island carrying over 2,000 Marines, have departed San Diego for the Middle East. By late November, three aircraft carriers and two amphibious ready groups are expected to be positioned near Iran, providing what the official described as a "range of military options."
The initial report of a third carrier and second Marine unit was first carried by N12 journalist Barak Ravid at 17:41 Jerusalem, citing a senior American official. By 17:52, The Zioneer reported that the carrier was identified as the USS Theodore Roosevelt. At 17:58, the dispatch was updated to include the Makin Island deployment and the Pentagon's plan for three carriers by November. A senior US official confirmed the Roosevelt's departure and the broader three-carrier, two-amphibious-group plan at 18:10 Jerusalem.
The naval buildup is part of a sustained shift in US posture in the Middle East since June 2026, when Washington moved from a defensive stance to direct kinetic operations against Iran, as The Zioneer has previously reported. The deployment appears designed to provide maximum flexibility ahead of an expected political decision after the midterm elections.
It remains unclear whether the administration intends to launch a full-scale campaign against Iran or continue with calibrated strikes. The official's reference to a political timeline is new, but no operational details or specific targets have been disclosed.
5 developments
- DevelopingPentagon planning additional naval forces in Middle East as Trump weighs renewed strikes on Iran, report says
- StrongWSJ: US sends Marine amphibious group, additional 9,000 troops to Middle East after Iran talks
- StrongOvernight report: USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier en route to Middle East, expected December
- DevelopingTrump reportedly planning full military escalation with Iran, targeting power plants and nuclear sites
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