00:00The U.S. military is deploying a large amphibious assault ship with thousands of additional
00:06marines and sailors to the Middle East.
00:09That's according to three U.S. officials who spoke to Reuters on Friday.
00:13Two of the officials said no decision had been made to send troops into Iran itself,
00:18but they will build up the capacity for potential future operations in the region.
00:22The White House referred questions to the Pentagon, which did not immediately respond
00:27to a request for comment.
00:29Reuters had reported that Washington, desperate to reopen the Gulf oil bottleneck of the Strait
00:34of Hormuz, was considering deployments up to and including landings.
00:39On Thursday, Trump told reporters he was not putting troops anywhere.
00:43No, I'm not putting troops anywhere.
00:46If I were, I certainly wouldn't tell you, but I'm not putting troops.
00:51The sources, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not say what the role of the
00:56additional troops would be.
00:57The additional deployments will add to the 50,000 U.S. troops already in the Middle East.
01:03Trump on Friday again vented his fury at U.S. allies, writing on social media that they
01:08were, quote, cowards for declining to help open the Strait of Hormuz while fighting continued.
01:14He added, quote, without the U.S.A., NATO is a paper tiger.
01:18Trump has been calling for U.S. major allies and others, none of which were consulted or advised
01:23on the war, to help secure the safety of shipping through the Iran-controlled Strait.
01:28We've had no support from, essentially, no support from NATO.
01:32The conflict has roiled global markets, killed thousands, and displaced millions since U.S.-Israel
01:38strikes began on February 28th.
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