Trump to send 1,000 troops to Middle East as Iran tensions escalate

The U.S. is deploying an additional 1,000 troops to the Middle East in response to “hostile behavior by Iranian forces and their proxy groups” that threaten U.S. “personnel and interests,” acting Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan announced Monday.

The backdrop: The U.S.-Iran standoff is reaching uncharted waters. As the Trump administration scrambles to rally an international response to Iran’s alleged covert attacks last week, Tehran is taking a long-feared step in broad daylight — announcing it will breach the 2015 nuclear deal’s limits on enriched uranium in 10 day’s time.

  • Shanahan said the U.S. isn’t seeking “conflict” with Iran, but would “make adjustments to force levels as necessary given intelligence reporting and credible threats.”
  • Meanwhile, the Pentagon tonight released additional photos it says indicate Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps was behind attacks on two oil tankers last week.
  • While the U.K., Saudi Arabia and Israel have backed the administration’s assessment, domestic critics and some U.S. allies — including Germany and Japan — have demanded more evidence

View the complete June 17 article by Dave Lawler on the Axios website here.