US to keep 50,000 troops in Middle East amid Iran war, deployment may extend to 2027: Report

The United States is planning to extend its troop deployment in West Asia to 2027 amid the Iran conflict escalating in its seventh month.
The extended deployment could include the US Army’s 82nd airborne division, according to a letter sent to the families of deployed troops, read by The Wall Street Journal.

The development comes after the United States Central Command (Centcom) carried out strikes on multiple sites inside Iran on Tuesday. Centcom confirmed the attacks on Wednesday, while Tehran responded with strikes on US-linked facilities across the Gulf. Iranian officials said the latest US strikes killed 18 people and wounded 142 others.