Hegseth Extends US Military Deployments in Middle East Into 2027: WSJ

WASHINGTON, Sep 3: US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has extended American military deployments in the Middle East into 2027, a move that signals the conflict with Iran could continue well into next year, the Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The extended deployment would keep about 50,000 US troops in the region, along with 19 warships, air defense units, fighter squadrons and paratroopers, according to the report. The open-ended strategy is intended to preserve President Donald Trump’s military options but is placing additional strain on troops and their families and contributing to a maintenance backlog that could take years to clear. Trump has privately discussed whether to declare the war with Iran over, while telling senior aides he believes sustained economic pressure could eventually force Tehran to dismantle its nuclear program or trigger the collapse of its government.