The number of U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East has surpassed 50,000, the New York Times reported on Monday, as Washington intensifies its military posture across the region amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.

The figure crossed that threshold with the arrival of 2,500 Marines and 2,500 sailors, pushing the total roughly 10,000 above the level the U.S. military maintains in the region under normal conditions. The count does not include the 4,500 personnel aboard the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, which left the Red Sea in mid-March after a fire broke out on the ship.

The USS Gerald R. Ford sailed to Crete before proceeding to the Port of Split on Croatia’s Adriatic coast for maintenance. Its departure removed a significant asset from the Red Sea at a moment when Houthi forces in Yemen continue to launch drone and missile strikes and have threatened to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait if the U.S. launches a ground invasion of Iran.

The troop buildup signals that Washington prepares for scenarios beyond airstrikes, even as President Donald Trump publicly pushes for a negotiated settlement with Tehran. Trump extended a pause on strikes targeting Iranian energy infrastructure until April 6, 2026, citing ongoing talks, while Iran allowed 20 oil tankers to pass through the Strait of Hormuz in what Trump described as a sign of respect from Tehran.

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