WASHINGTON, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United States will deploy some 3,500 more troops to the Middle East as early as this weekend following a U.S. strike killing a top Iranian commander, local media reported on Friday, citing U.S. officials.

The additional troops from the 82nd Airborne Division will be deployed to Iraq, Kuwait and other parts of the region, reported NBC News citing multiple U.S. defense and military officials.

Some of the troops could be deployed as early as this weekend to Kuwait, reported The Wall Street Journal in a story on Friday.

The latest move by the Pentagon came hours after the United States killed Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, commander of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Quds Force, and Iraqi militia commander Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis in an air strike near Baghdad International Airport.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Friday that those who assassinated Soleimani should wait for Iran's severe response, the Iranian state TV reported.