Politics & Government

3,000 Fort Bragg soldiers are headed to the Middle East, Reuters reports

A person stands on the roof of a building looking at a plume of smoke rises after a strike on the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
A person stands on the roof of a building looking at a plume of smoke rises after a strike on the Iranian capital of Tehran on Tuesday, March 3, 2026. AFP via Getty Images

About 3,000 soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division stationed at Fort Bragg are headed to the Middle East, Reuters reported Tuesday, quoting two people familiar with the deployment.

The officials didn’t say where in the Middle East the troops will go or when they are expected to arrive. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The Pentagon will send 3,000 to 4,000 soldiers, one of the sources told Reuters.

The troops will “support operations against Iran,” although a decision to put 82nd Airborne soldiers in Iran hasn’t been made, according to The Wall Street Journal.

By sending the troops to the Middle East, various options open for President Donald Trump, The Wall Street Journal reported.

This is a developing story.

This story was originally published March 24, 2026 at 5:27 PM.

Joe Marusak
The Charlotte Observer
Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news. Support my work with a digital subscription
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