US to send 1,000 more troops to Middle East, citing 'hostile behavior' by Iran
2019-06-18 10:30:10 source：The Guardian
June 18, 2019
The US is sending an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East in response to “hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups”, Patrick Shanahan, the acting defence secretary, announced on Monday.
The move further heightens tensions between the two nations. Last week Washington blamed Iran for attacks on two oil tanker ships, which came more than a year after Donald Trump announced that the US was withdrawing from a 2015 nuclear deal and restoring economic sanctions.
“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.
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