America considers deploying as many as 10,000 military personnel to the Middle East, according to sources.

A photograph released by the US Army depicts U.S. Army Paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, departing from Pope Army Airfield, North Carolina on January 1, 2020, as they were activated and deployed to the U.S. Central Command area of operations in response to recent events in Iraq.

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Paratroopers from the 2nd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, were part of this deployment, which was a response to the escalating situation in the region.

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The United States is considering deploying up to 10,000 additional troops to the Middle East, according to US media reports on Friday, amid speculation about a potential ground operation in Iran.

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This potential deployment would significantly bolster Washington's military presence in the region, despite claims by US President Donald Trump that Tehran is engaged in peace talks with Washington to end the war.

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The Wall Street Journal reported that the potential move is intended to provide President Trump with "more military options" in the Middle East, a region that has been embroiled in war since the US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28.

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The additional troops would join the thousands of paratroopers and Marines who have already been ordered to the region, further increasing the US military presence.

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An Iranian official stated on Wednesday that Tehran would retaliate against a ground invasion of its territory by activating its Houthi rebels in Yemen to attack shipping in the Red Sea, which would open up a new front in the conflict.

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President Trump has repeatedly asserted that he does not plan to send ground troops into combat with Iran, despite the escalating tensions in the region.

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According to the Journal, it is unclear where precisely the additional forces will be deployed in the Middle East, but they will likely be positioned within striking distance of Iran and Kharg Island, a crucial oil export hub off Iran's coast.

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The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the potential deployment, leaving uncertainty about the plans.

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President Trump has pushed back his deadline for strikes on Iran's energy assets, stating that talks on ending the war were "going very well", in an effort to de-escalate the situation.

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Meanwhile, Israel's military announced early on Friday that it had carried out "a wide-scale wave of strikes targeting infrastructure of the Iranian terror regime in the heart of Tehran", further complicating the situation.