The United States would deploy about 1,000 additional troops to the Middle East amid tensions with Iran, Acting U.S. Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan announced on Monday.
"I have authorized approximately 1,000 additional troops for defensive purposes to address air, naval, and ground-based threats in the Middle East," Shanahan said in a statement.
The acting Pentagon chief noted that the deployment was requested by the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) and advised by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in consultation with the White House.
Shanahan pointed out that the decision resulted from the "hostile behavior" of the Iranian force, which "threatens U.S. personnel and interests across the region."
The United States does not seek conflict with Iran, he said, adding "we will continue to monitor the situation diligently and make adjustments to force levels as necessary given intelligence reporting and credible threats."
U.S. State Department spokesperson Morgan Ortagus announced on the same day at a press briefing that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will visit CENTCOM and U.S. Special Operations Command in Florida on Tuesday.
The deployment came days after two oil tankers were attacked in the Gulf of Oman. The Trump administration has accused Iran of being responsible for the attacks, and the latter denied the accusation.
