US increasing military forces in Middle East as Trump considers escalation against Iran - report

Jerusalem Post/Middle East/Iran NewsAccording to the WSJ, US President Donald Trump is considering expanding his attacks on Iran, and the added forces in the region are intended to provide him with more military options.Follow us on GoogleA US Air Force F-16 fighter jet refuels during a patrol over the Middle East, pictured in an image shared by US Central Command on July 12, 2026.(photo credit: screenshot/X/@CENTCOM)ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFJULY 23, 2026 05:35Updated: JULY 23, 2026 05:37The United States is increasing the available forces at its disposal in the Middle East in preparation for the possibility of escalating the ongoing conflict with Iran, people familiar with the matter told The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday.According to the WSJ, US President Donald Trump is considering expanding his attacks on Iran, and the added forces in the region are intended to provide him with more military options.US officials also told the WSJ that fighter jets have been positioned across the Middle East, and that bomber aircraft are on high alert.Israeli officials also believe Trump is preparing to significantly escalate the American military campaign against Iran, according to two Israeli officials.According to the assessment, an expanded US campaign targeting Iranian strategic infrastructure and senior regime officials would likely prompt Tehran to retaliate directly against Israel.US President Donald Trump speaks at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, US, July 15, 2026. (credit: Kylie Cooper/Reuters)Trump threatens Iranian infrastructureEarlier on Wednesday, Trump threatened that the US will strike Iranian bridges and power plants in retaliation for every time Iran fires on a ship in the Strait of Hormuz."The US will bomb and destroy one bridge or power plant, including those located next to, or in, the capital city of Tehran," Trump said.This will happen "from this point forward, any time the Islamic Republic of Iran shoots at a ship in the Strait of Hormuz," he stated.Amichai Stein and James Genn contributed to this report.Follow us on Google