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U.S. Sends Planes, Ships to Middle East in Warning to Iran
(Wall Street Journal) Nancy A. Youssef - The Pentagon is rapidly expanding its forces in the Middle East, the Defense Department said Tuesday. Two officials said the aim of the additional forces is to bolster the U.S. campaign in Yemen and deter Iran. The buildup includes F-35 combat jets, which are joining B-2 bombers and Predator drones. A steady stream of Air Force cargo planes and refueling tankers have been flying to the Middle East from Europe, Asia and the U.S., according to flight-tracking data. The U.S. will soon have two carrier strike groups in the region - the USS Harry S. Truman, which has been operating in the Middle East since last fall, and USS Carl Vinson, which is usually assigned to Asia and is expected to arrive within two weeks. The strike groups include cruise missile-carrying destroyers and other warships. The U.S. also has sent Patriot antimissile batteries to defend U.S. air bases and nearby allies.