President Donald Trump listens to a question from a reporter during a press briefing at the White House in Washington, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
A US official told Reuters that the USS Delbert D. Black entered the region within the past 48 hours, increasing the number of American destroyers in the Middle East to six, alongside an aircraft carrier and three littoral combat ships.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
US naval deployments expanded this week as President Donald Trump said he intends to continue contacts with Iran and made clear he has already conveyed two demands to Tehran: “no nukes, and stop killing the protesters.”
“I have had talks with them, and I intend to hold talks,” Trump said, according to KAN News. Asked separately about possible dialogue, he told reporters, “I am planning on it, yeah.” Referring to the military buildup, he added, “We have a lot of very big, very powerful ships sailing to Iran right now, and it would be great if we didn’t have to use them.” He made the remarks while attending the premiere of a documentary about his wife, Melania, at the Kennedy Center.
A US official told Reuters that the USS Delbert D. Black entered the region within the past 48 hours, increasing the number of American destroyers in the Middle East to six, alongside an aircraft carrier and three littoral combat ships.
The destroyer docked Friday at the Port of Eilat. The IDF said the visit was part of routine, preplanned coordination with US forces.
In Tehran, sources speaking to Hezbollah-aligned Al-Akhbar said the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps received 1,000 new drones and assessed that meeting US demands would be more costly than confrontation.
Regional partners including Turkey, Oman, and Qatar urged Washington to pursue diplomacy rather than military steps, CBS News reported, citing officials who spoke anonymously. They said prospects for direct talks on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs had not yet gained traction.
Citi assessed a 70% likelihood of limited US-Israel measures aimed at pressuring Iran without triggering broader escalation, pointing to oil market sensitivities and domestic political considerations. Brent crude rose amid concerns that any conflict could disrupt shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. The bank projected a potential US-Iran deal and de-escalation in 2026.
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