Trump Reportedly Considering Sending Thousands Of Additional Troops To Middle East To Strengthen Iran War Operation

The Trump administration is considering sending thousands of additional troops to the Middle East to support the war operation in Iran, according to a new report.

Reuters detailed that the deployments could give President Donald Trump additional options to conduct operations in the war, including securing safe passage for oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively shut and driving oil prices up.

The outlet went on to detail that administration officials have also discussed the possibility of sending ground forces to Kharg Island, through which 90% of Iran's oil exports go through. However, one official consulted said the operation would be highly risky as Tehran could reach the territory with missiles and drones.

Trump appeared to say that he is not considering sending troops into Iran on Thursday. "I'm not putting troops anywhere, and if I was, I certainly wouldn't tell you."

Elsewhere, the Pentagon reportedly asked for an additional $200 billion to continue the war effort. The figure has made headlines over the past hour given its sheer size. The Associated Press detailed that the Department of Defense sent the request to the White House and comes on top of additional funding the Defense Department already received last year.

Asked about it during a press conference on Thursday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth did not confirm it, saying it could change.

However, he claimed that "we're going back to Congress and our folks there to to ensure that we're properly funded" and "it takes money to kill bad guys."

The war continues in the meantime, and energy prices soar following strikes on facilities in the region. Israel struck Iran's South Pars gas field, the largest in the country, leading Iran to retaliate by targeting Gulf countries, particularly Qatar's Ras Laffan Industrial City, a refinery in Saudi Arabia and two more in Kuwait.

President Donald Trump reacted to the developments, saying Israel was responsible for the attack on South Pars and wouldn't do it again if Iran refrained from targeting Qatar. Should that not happen, he vowed to "massively blow up the entirety of the South Pars Gas Field."

However, a previous Axios report had claimed that the U.S. was aware of the attack and the two countries coordinated them as a way to send a message to Iran to stop targeting energy facilities in the region.