More than 50,000 American soldiers are in the Middle East, says newspaper

With signs that the war could extend, the Pentagon fears for the stock of ammunition to maintain attacks against Iran Jornal Nacional/ Reproduction With the arrival of 2,500 marines and another 2,500 sailors, the number of American soldiers in the Middle East region exceeds 50,000, which represents around 10,000 more than usual, according to The New York Times. The first of two contingents of troops arrived on Friday (27) aboard an amphibious assault ship, according to the US Army. ➡️An amphibious assault ship is a type of military ship designed to take troops, vehicles and aircraft to shore and launch an invasion from the sea. This Saturday (28), the war between Israel and the USA against Iran completed one month, with no sign that it is nearing an end. In the third week of the conflict, the US decided to send 2,500 marines to the region. While it’s not yet clear what these soldiers will be tasked with, U.S. officials say the president is weighing whether to attempt a larger attack, says The New York Times. These attacks would involve the Strait of Hormuz and the Channel Islands. Possible ground incursion into Iran The Washington Post reported that the Pentagon is preparing for ground operations in Iran, which could include actions by special forces and conventional troops. There is still no confirmation that President Donald Trump will authorize this plan. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the United States can achieve its goals without troops on the ground, but said sending forces expands the government’s options. Iran said this Sunday (29) that it was ready to react to a possible ground attack from the United States and accused Washington of preparing a land offensive while, at the same time, talking about negotiations. The declaration comes amid diplomatic efforts by countries in the region, which are meeting in Pakistan to try to end the conflict. The president of the Iranian Parliament, Mohammad Baqer Ghalibaf, said that the US is sending signals of dialogue, but is, behind the scenes, planning to send troops. According to him, Iran is prepared to react if this happens. “As long as the Americans demand Iran’s surrender, our response is that we will never accept humiliation,” he said. “Our attacks continue. Our missiles are positioned. Our determination and faith have increased,” he added. Threats involve oil and uranium Uranium enrichment centrifuges at the Natanz plant in Iran. IRIB via AP, File Trump is considering a military operation to extract nearly a thousand pounds of uranium from Iran, according to US officials, says The Wall Street Journal. This mission would be complex and risky as it would involve ground incursion into the region by American troops for days or more. The president has not yet made a decision on whether or not to give the order, officials told the newspaper. The hesitation would be justified by the danger to US troops. But Trump remains open to the idea, according to officials interviewed by The Wall Street Journal. This is because it could help achieve its central objective of preventing Iran from building a nuclear weapon. The president has also encouraged his advisers to pressure Iran into agreeing to hand over material as a condition of ending the war, according to a person familiar with Trump’s thinking. Trump was clear in conversations with political allies that the Iranians cannot keep the material and discussed seizing it by force if Iran did not hand it over to the negotiating table, the newspaper said. To the Financial Times newspaper, Trump said that the country “could take oil from Iran” and take Kharg Island, an Iranian oil center in the north of the Persian Gulf. Despite the threat, Trump highlighted that a ceasefire could occur “quickly” during the interview this Sunday (29). The island of Kharg is responsible for 90% of Iran’s oil exports and could force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, according to the North American newspaper “Axios”. Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt met this Sunday (29), in Islamabad, to discuss ways to end the war, which has lasted a month and left thousands dead. Kharg Island, off the coast of Iran, becomes the target of the conflict in the Middle East Reproduction/TV Globo The countries gathered presented proposals to the USA to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for around a fifth of global oil and natural gas transport. Among the proposals discussed are the creation of a tariff system inspired by the Suez Canal model and the formation of an international consortium to manage the flow of oil through the route. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said the country would soon host talks between the United States and Iran, the Associated Press news agency reported. US plane destroyed by drones US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft appears damaged at the Prince Sultan Air Base, in Saudi Arabia, after a missile and drone attack attributed to Iran AFP Images verified by AFP show a United States aerial surveillance plane destroyed after an Iranian attack on the Prince Sultan Air Base, in Saudi Arabia, on Sunday (29). The aircraft hit is an E-3 Sentry, a model used for aerial monitoring and coordination of military operations. Photos circulated on social media indicate that the plane was split in half after the impact. The attack was carried out with missiles and drones, according to reports in outlets such as The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. At least 12 American soldiers were injured, two seriously. According to the Wall Street Journal, the E-3 Sentry was among the damaged aircraft at the base, which also had refueling planes hit. Debris of the E-3 Sentry surveillance plane, used for aerial monitoring and control of operations, after being hit in an attack in Saudi Arabia AFP The air base, located in Saudi Arabia, is used by American forces and has been the target of Iranian offensives in recent days, amid the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East. According to Al Jazeera, the model has a unit cost of US$270 million. The E-3 Sentry is part of the AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) system and is capable of tracking drones, missiles and aircraft hundreds of kilometers away. Before the attack, the US Air Force had around 16 aircraft of this type in operation. US Air Force Boeing E-3 Sentry US Air Force The episode comes amid a series of Iranian attacks against US military structures in the Gulf, which, in recent weeks, have hit radar systems, anti-missile defense batteries, drones and aircraft at bases in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Jordan and Kuwait, according to international press reports. The offensives are part of Tehran’s response to American operations in the region and increase tension in one of the strategic areas for global oil production and transportation.

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