US to send thousands more soldiers to the Middle East, reports say, as Trump claims ‘negotiations’ continue
The Pentagon is expected to send thousands of troops from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the matter have told Reuters.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not specify the exact location where the troops would be deployed or when they were expected to arrive in the region.
Meanwhile, the spokesman for the top Iranian military command, Ali Abdollahi Aliabadi, has insisted that Iran maintains a “powerful” military and will fight the US and Israel “until complete victory.”
US President Donald Trump earlier said that diplomatic talks with Iran were taking place, and that that is the reason why he postponed military strikes on Iranian power plants for five days. Tehran, however, has dismissed reports of discussions with Washington.
Following Trump’s promised reprieve, Brent oil prices plunged more than 13%, but soon rebounded to over $100 after Iran’s denial.
Here are the latest developments:
- Donald Trump has claimed Iran “agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon.”
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that while his “friend” Trump seeks to “leverage the massive achievements of the IDF and the US military” in potential talks, Israel is “continuing to strike” both Iran and Lebanon to keep up the pressure.
- Tehran has denied that talks with the US are taking place, with Iran’s parliamentary speaker saying such claims are “fake news” and being “used to manipulate financial and oil markets.”
Follow our live coverage below for continuous updates. You can also read our previous updates here.
24 March 2026
19:54 GMTTrump has said that Gulf allies have met his expectations amid the ongoing war with Iran, once again criticizing NATO countries as falling short.
“UAE has been hit so hard,” he added. At least eight people there were killed and 161 injured since the US and Israel started their war on Iran.
Trump also praised several Gulf partners individually, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Kuwait.
Trump has previously called NATO allies “cowards” for not assisting the US in securing the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz, a key global shipping route for oil.
- 19:28 GMT
Trump has claimed Iran had given the US a gift “worth a tremendous amount of money” related to oil and gas. However, he didn’t specify what the gift was but said it was related to the Strait of Hormuz.
- 19:17 GMT
US President Donald Trump has claimed Iran “agreed they will never have a nuclear weapons”.
“[Tehran] talking to us and they’re talking sense... It all starts with they cannot have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said, adding: “I don’t want to say in advance, but they’ve agreed they will never have a nuclear weapon. They’ve agreed to that.”
- 19:16 GMT
The Pentagon is expected to send thousands of troops from the elite 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, two people familiar with the matter have told Reuters.
The officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, did not specify the exact location where the troops would be deployed or when they were expected to arrive in the region.
- 19:16 GMT
Trump’s approval rating has fallen to 36%, its lowest level since he returned to office for a second presidential term, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll.
The poll showed a drop from 40% in the previous week, amid rising fuel prices and growing disapproval of the war with Iran.
Support for American strikes on Iran also declined, with 35% approving and 61% disapproving, the poll found.
Public sentiment regarding the cost of living has deteriorated, with only 25% approving of Trump’s handling of the issue. This disapproval comes as petrol and gasoline prices have increased following the US strikes on Iran, which have caused disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.
