The Pentagon announced on Monday that the US will be sending more troops to The Niddle East amid rising tensions with Iran.
What We Know:
- Defense secretary Patrick Shanahan said this decision was in response to “hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups that threaten United States personnel and interests across the region.”
- One US official said the deployment will include surveillance and intelligence gathering, and reconnaissance aircraft and missile defense for force protection.
- This decision heightens the tension between the two countries greatly. The Trump administration blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tanker ships in the Golf of Oman which belongs to American allies Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Japan, and Norway.
- According to Time Magazine, President Donald Trump said he would take military action against Iran to prevent the Islamic Republic from acquiring nuclear weapons.
- In the same statement, Shanahan added: “The United States does not seek conflict with Iran. The action today is being taken to ensure the safety and welfare of our military personnel working throughout the region and to protect our national interests.
- There have been a series of deployments to the Gulf region which began last month when the U.S. sent an aircraft carrier strike group, Patriot middle batteries and several thousand troops.
The Pentagon did not give any further details on the timing of the deployment
