US to send troops into Saudi Arabia following oil attacks
The US has revealed plans to send military forces into Saudi Arabia following the attacks against the country’s oil facilities last weekend.
Speaking to reporters, secretary of defence, Mark Esper, said the deployment of troops would be “defensive in nature”.
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It is not yet clear how many soldiers will be sent into Saudi, although chairman of joint chiefs of staff General Joseph Dunford called the deployment “moderate” and said it would not be in the thousands.
The Iran-backed Houthi rebels have claimed responsibility for the attacks, but the US and Saudi Arabian governments both blame Iran itself.
Donald Trump announced new sanctions against Iran in the wake of the attacks this week, describing it at the “highest level” and said it would focus on the country’s central bank and sovereign wealth fund.
He also insisted he wanted to avoid military conflict, however.
“I think the strong person approach, and the thing that does show strength, would be showing a little bit of restraint,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office.
The commander of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) felt differently though, and on Saturday said Iran would seek to “destroy” any aggressor.
“Be careful,” Maj-Gen Hossein Salami said on state television. “We are after punishment and we will continue until the full destruction of any aggressor.”
Esper said that Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had requested assistance.
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He said US forces would focus on boosting air and missile defences and would “accelerate the delivery of military equipment” to both nations.
According to the New York Times he also responded to a question on whether air strikes against Iran were still being considered with: “That’s not where we are right now.”