2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East

Beginning in late January 2026, the United States carried out its largest military buildup in the Middle East since the 2003 invasion of Iraq, deploying air, naval, and missile defense assets amid escalating tensions with Iran, which the United States has attributed to Iran's nuclear program, the 2025–2026 Iranian protests, and a government crackdown that killed thousands of demonstrators. On 28 February 2026, this culminated in a series of joint military strikes in Iran by the United States and Israel, sparking the 2026 Iran war.

Source: Wikipedia — 2026 United States military buildup in the Middle East (CC BY-SA 4.0)