US President Donald Trump has ordered the deployment of additional US troops to Saudi Arabia, as well as radar and missile systems, to “improve defenses against air and missile threats in the region”.
In a letter to the US Congress, Trump said that the additional forces will include “an air expeditionary wing to support the operation of United States fighter aircraft from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and two fighter squadrons”, adding that “the first of these remaining forces will arrive in the coming weeks”.
Trump also said that with the additional forces, the total number of US personnel “in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will be approximately 3,000”, adding that “this personnel will remain deployed as long as their presence is required to fulfill the missions described above”.
In September, the Pentagon authorized the additional deployment of US troops to Saudi Arabia. Trump said that Riyadh would pay for the deployment of additional US troops.
According to US-based media reports, plans to deploy additional troops to the kingdom emerged after September attacks on the Saudi Aramco oil facilities that both countries have blamed on Iran. Tehran has denied any wrongdoing.
President @realDonaldTrump has informed Congress that more U.S. troops are being deployed to Saudi Arabia to "assure our partners, deter further Iranian provocative behavior, and bolster regional defensive capabilities." This will bring the number of U.S. troops there to 3,000.
— Wolf Blitzer (@wolfblitzer) November 19, 2019
