Exclusive: US shifts additional military assets to Middle East
Shafaq News– Washington
The United States has begun moving additional military assets into the Middle East, a US official told Shafaq News on Friday.
The official explained that some forces are being repositioned within the region, but the movements do not include Iraq. “We’re not going to discuss the exact assets and locations,” he said, adding that the move is intended to ensure that US President Donald Trump “has options available.”
Washington maintains a significant military presence across at least 19 locations in the Middle East. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, eight of these are permanent installations —in Iraq, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Egypt— with an estimated 40,000 to 50,000 US troops stationed in the region as of 2025.
The repositioning follows weeks of tension between Washington and Tehran after protests erupted across Iran on December 28, 2025, triggered by a sharp currency collapse that pushed the rial to record lows. The Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) has since reported nearly 4,000 deaths and tens of thousands of arrests, though the figures have been difficult to verify due to prolonged internet restrictions.
Trump has repeatedly warned of tougher measures in response to the alleged crackdown, but public protests have since subsided and his rhetoric has eased. Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, have rejected Western accusations of killing protesters, blaming foreign actors for fomenting the unrest.
Read more: Washington holds back: Calculated pressure, not war, shapes US policy toward Iran
For Shafaq News, Mostafa Hashem, Washington, DC.
