U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is quietly extending the deployment of American military forces in the Middle East into 2027, amid the ongoing conflict with Iran. This was reported by The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the details. According to the report, the move is part of an open-ended military strategy with no defined end date, designed to allow President Donald Trump to maintain a range of options against Tehran — from continued military pressure to additional strikes if necessary.