US is moving thousands of troops aboard ships to the Mideast as Trump weighs new strikes on Iran

is deploying about 9,000 troops to the Middle East aboard ships as President Trump warns of potential strikes on Iran. Trump suggests possible Iranian links to an attempted plane crash. military is dispatching roughly 9,000 troops aboard a group of ships to the Middle East, a U.S.

The bolstering of the American military presence comes as President Donald Trump warned anew that new strikes against Iran could be on the horizon.The troop movement, which includes a third aircraft carrier, underscores the rapidly evolving dynamic of Trump's war against Iran as he ponders his next move, with midterm elections in the United States looming large and new signs that the nature of the conflict may be becoming more complex.Trump has threatened that a post-midterm election escalation — despite his initial promises to Americans of a campaign that would last a matter of weeks — remains a viable option. Further complicating matters, Trump told reporters Thursday that early indications suggest that Iran is linked to the FlyDubai co-pilot who stabbed his captain and tried to crash an Israel-bound flight on Wednesday.In an exchange with reporters at the White House, Trump raised the connection when asked by a reporter if there were any links between the pilot behind the attack and Tehran.“I would say the answer, based on what I’m hearing, is ‘yes,’ but we’re working on it right now,” Trump said, without offering details.Trump added that if the link to Iran is established, the United States would retaliate. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed in a Fox News interview earlier Thursday that investigators believe the FlyDubai suspect underwent “Islamist, radical indoctrination” but did not provide further details.“Oh, they’ll be hit very hard, don’t worry," Trump said.

They’ll be hit very hard.”Thousands of US sailors and Marines head to the Middle EastMeanwhile, the group of ships now en route to the Middle East together carry over 7,000 sailors and 2,000 Marines.It includes the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which recently deployed with the cruiser USS Chosin, and the USS Makin Island amphibious readiness group, which includes the USS John P. Murtha and USS Anchorage amphibious landing ships.It could mean that three carriers are in the region as early as the end of October, according to the U.S. official, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive military operations.Given the personnel already in plac…