Acting US Defence Secretary Patrick Shanahan has announced the deployment of 1000 more US troops to the Middle East for ‘defensive purposes to address air, naval and ground-based threats’.
Mr Shanahan says the US does not seek conflict with Iran and deployment aims to ensure the safety and welfare of their military personnel working throughout the region as well as national interests.
The announcement came as the Pentagon released new photos which officials say show Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corp as responsible for last week’s attacks on two oil tankers near the Persian Gulf.