Trump sends 'thousands more US troops to Middle East' to pressure Iran for deal

Trump sends 'thousands more US troops to Middle East' to pressure Iran for dealUnited States President Donald Trump is sending thousands more troops to the Middle East amid the prospect of new talks as he puts pressure on the Iranian regime for a dealCommentsNewsTim Hanlon News Reporter11:08, 15 Apr 2026Updated 11:15, 15 Apr 2026View ImageFighter jets taking off on USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East(Image: US NAVY/AFP via Getty Images)Donald Trump is raising the pressure on Iran ahead of possible new talks by sending thousands more troops to the Middle East.‌The US president has said that a second round of talks with Iran could happen “over the next two days” with negotiations held again in Islamabad as diplomats worked through back channels to arrange them.‌And the prospect of talks come as the US Central Command says no ships made it past the blockade in the first 24 hours, while six merchant vessels complied with direction from US forces to turn around and re-enter Iranian waters.‌READ MORE: Trump Iran live: US 'sends 10,000 extra troops to Middle East' to put pressure for dealREAD MORE: Trump gushes over King Charles ahead of visit as he blasts Starmer's 'tragic mistakes'More than 10,000 further troops could also be soon arriving in the region including about 6,000 aboard the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush and several warships escorting it, said officials, reported the Washington Post.And about 4,200 others with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group and its embarked Marine Corps task force, the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit, are expected to arrive near the end of the month.There are already around 50,000 US troops in the Middle East and the extra military support will be arriving as the two-week ceasefire is set to expire April 22.‌Meanwhile the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz is intended to pressure Iran, which has exported millions of barrels of oil, mostly to Asia, since the war began February 28. Much of it has like...