(Washington Comprehensive) The Pentagon announced on Monday the deployment of more military forces to the Middle East, while President Trump called on Tehran residents to leave immediately, raising speculation that the conflict between Iran and Israel is about to escalate, and that the U.S. may be involved. Trump stated that he is seeking to 'truly end' the Iran issue.
U.S. Secretary of Defense Esper announced on Monday evening (June 16) the deployment of more military forces to the Middle East. He said, 'Protecting U.S. troops is our top priority, and these deployments are aimed at strengthening our defensive posture in the region.'
Reuters reported that the U.S. military has moved a large number of tankers to Europe to 'provide options' for Trump. They also confirmed that the USS Nimitz is heading towards the Middle East. The Nimitz canceled its planned stop in Vietnam on Monday and is heading to the Indian Ocean. It was originally scheduled to replace the USS Carl Vinson in the Middle East later, but after the outbreak of the Iran-Israel conflict, the U.S. military advanced its deployment plans.
Multiple countries are assisting their citizens in evacuating from Iran and Israel. According to AFP, more than 600 foreigners from 17 countries have crossed into Azerbaijan from Iran since last Friday. India has also evacuated 110 citizens from Iran via Armenia.