US Boosts Military Presence in Middle East, as Sixth Set of Sanctions Issued against Iran

WASHINGTON DC, United States (Kurdistan 24) - The Pentagon announced on Tuesday that it was sending a second aircraft carrier strike group into CENTCOM’s area of operations.

It also said that additional military assets would be deployed in support of CENTCOM. It did not provide details, but it may well be a reference to the deployment of B-2 bombers to the Indian Ocean island base of Diego Garcia.

Read More: Diego Garcia Sees Unprecedented B-2 Bomber Deployment Amid Middle East Tensions

The B-2 is an advanced heavy bomber. It is “stealthy”—that is, it has a very low radar profile, and it can be used to penetrate a thick air defense system.

The Houthis in Yemen lack air defenses, and so the B-2 would not be used against them. Rather, if the B-2 were used, it would be against Iran. Hence, its deployment is best understood as a warning to Tehran.

That is what Cedric Leighton, a former U.S. Air Force officer and CNN military analyst, said on Tuesday, following the Pentagon announcement.

“The deployment of these B-2s is clearly designed to set a message—perhaps several messages—to Iran,” as Leighton told CNN.

Also on Tuesday, the State and Treasury Departments announced another set of sanctions against Iran, the sixth such announcement since U.S. President Donald Trump took office some two-and-a-half months ago.

Increased Deployment of US Forces in the Middle East

Sean Parnell, the Chief Pentagon Spokesman, issued a statement on Tuesday announcing the U.S. military build-up in the Middle East. His statement started by explaining that there would soon be two aircraft carrier strike groups in the region.

“In line with the President's direction to achieve peace through strength,” Parnell’s statement began, “the Secretary of Defense directed the Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group to remain in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR) in support of regional deterrence and force protection efforts.”

In addition, Parnell continued, “Following completion of a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific region, the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group will arrive in CENTCOM AOR to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region.”

Parnell then provided a vague description of yet a third aspect of the US. military build-up. 

“To complement the CENTCOM maritime posture, the Secretary also ordered the deployment of additional squadrons and other air assets that will further reinforce our defensive air-support capabilities,” he said.

The most obvious explanation of what that might entail is the previously reported deployment of B-2 bombers to the joint U.S.-U.K. military base on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia, as CNN suggested, as discussed above.

Parnell’s statement ended with a warning to hostile parties in the Middle East. “The United States and its partners remain committed to regional security in the CENTCOM AOR and are prepared to respond to any state or non-state actor seeking to broaden or escalate conflict in the region,” it said.

“Secretary Hegseth continues to make clear that, should Iran or its proxies threaten American personnel and interests in the region, the United States will take decisive action to defend our people,” the statement concluded.

Trump has threatened to bomb Iran, if it does not negotiate a new agreement with the U.S. to end its nuclear weapons program, and Tehran has responded with threats of its own.

Read More: Trump Warns Iran: "There Will Be Bombing" if No Nuclear Deal is Reached

The Wall Street Journal, in reporting on this issue, cited U.S. officials on Tuesday as saying that the U.S. force movements are not preparation for an imminent attack on Iran. Nonetheless, a major U.S. military build-up is underway.

New Round of Sanctions

Also on Tuesday, the State and Treasury Departments announced the sixth round of sanctions on Iran. The latest sanctions target, according to the U.S. announcement, “Iran’s UAV [Unarmed Aerial Vehicle] and Ballistic Missile Procurement Network.”

The new sanctions target two individuals, both Iranians, and both associated with the Iranian company, Rah Roshd International Trade Exchanges Development, which imported the motors used by Iran in producing its UAVs.

That company was also sanctioned, as was  another company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Infracom Communication Networks FZE, which was involved in acquiring the motors for Rah Roshd.

The motors are produced by a Chinese company: Zibo Shenbo Machinelectronics Co Ltd. It, too, was sanctioned, as were two other UAE-based trading companies.