Defense Secretary Mark Esper said that two fighter squadrons and additional missile defense batteries were being sent to Saudi Arabia, for a total of about 3,000 new troops from September this year. The move comes as tensions jumped Friday after Tehran said that suspected missiles had struck an Iranian tanker in the Red Sea off the coast of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. US deploying 3,000 more troops to Saudi Arabia to boost air defenses https://t.co/CiWykzNndv via @timesofisrael — Rebecca L Soderstrom (@rlsoderstrom) October 11, 2019The deployments authorized Friday include two additional fighter squadrons, and supporting personnel, along with additional Patriot and THAAD missile defense batteries. Tanker explosion mysteryThe explosion on the Iranian tanker in the Red Sea Friday remained a mystery. It initially blamed Saudi Arabia but then recanted the allegation, and no one claimed responsibility.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 12, 2019 13:18 UTC