Two US officials announced that thousands of troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, an elite unit of the US Army, have begun arriving in the Middle East as President Donald Trump considers his next steps in the conflict with Iran. The officials, speaking to Reuters, did not specify the exact locations of the deployments, but the move was anticipated. Paratroopers based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, are set to join thousands of additional Navy SEALs, Marines, and special operations forces already deployed to the region. Approximately 2,500 Marines arrived in the Middle East earlier this week. Reuters first reported on March 18 that the Trump administration was considering deploying thousands of additional US troops to the Middle East, a move that would expand options to include deploying forces inside Iran.

Source: Egypt Independent March 31, 2026 08:48 UTC