US to send troops and air and missile defense to Saudi Arabia as Trump announces new Iran sanctions after oil attack

The US announced Friday it would send additional troops along with enhanced air and missile defense systems to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in response to the attack on Saudi oil facilities, which the US has blamed on Tehran.

Describing the attack as a "dramatic escalation of Iranian aggression," Defense Secretary Mark Esper told reporters at the Pentagon that the troops would be "defensive in nature and primarily focused on air and missile defense" following the attacks on Saudi oil facilities attacks which Esper said "all indications are that Iran was responsible for."

"Right now we're focused on helping the Saudis improve their defense infrastructure," Esper said. The administration's goal is to send a "clear message" that the United States supports its partners in the region, will defend the free flow of commerce through the Persian Gulf and demonstrate its commitment to the rules-based international order.

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