U.S. has deployed 50,000 troops to the Middle East

With the arrival of 2,500 Marines and another 2,500 sailors, the number of U.S. troops in the Middle East now exceeds 50,000 - about 10,000 more than usual - while U.S. President Donald Trump decides what his next move will be in the war with Iran, which has been ongoing for a month, reports The New York Times.

It remains unclear exactly what tasks will be assigned to the Marines of the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, but U.S. officials say the president is considering a larger-scale attack, such as an attempt to seize an island or other territory as part of Trump’s efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz.

This narrow waterway, through which about 20 percent of the world’s oil typically passes, has been largely closed due to attacks by Iranian forces seeking revenge for the U.S. and Israel’s war against their country.

Typically, there are about 40,000 U.S. military personnel stationed in the region - specifically in Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Kuwait - deployed at bases and aboard ships.

Photo: U.S. Central Command in the Middle East.