The United States will deploy thousands of U.S. forces to Saudi Arabia in response to Iran’s attack on the country’s oil facilities in September, the Pentagon announced Friday. The deployment of about 1,500 extra troops will also include fighter squadrons, early detection aircraft, and air defense systems. The move comes shortly after President Trump decided to withdraw U.S. military forces from northeastern Syria, essentially allowing Turkey to attack America’s Kurdish allies.
“[Defense] Secretary Esper informed Saudi Crown Prince and Minister of Defense Muhammad bin Salman this morning of the additional troop deployment to assure and enhance the defense of Saudi Arabia,” Chief Pentagon spokesperson Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement on Friday. “Taken together with other deployments, this constitutes an additional 3,000 forces that have been extended or authorized within the last month.”
