RIYADH: US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper arrived Monday in Saudi Arabia,state television said, days after the Pentagon said it was bolstering itsforces in the kingdom amid tensions with Iran.
Al-Ekhbariyah television gave no details on the previously unannouncedvisit, which comes after Esper visited Afghanistan.
On October 11, the Pentagon said it was deploying new US troops to SaudiArabia after Riyadh asked for reinforcements following a mid-Septemberdrone and missile attack on Saudi oil plants, which Washington blames onIran.
Esper said that two fighter squadrons and additional missile defencebatteries were being sent to Saudi Arabia, bringing to about 3,000 thetotal number of troops deployed there since last month.
The September 14 attack knocked out two major processing facilities ofstate oil giant Aramco in Khurais and Abqaiq, roughly halving SaudiArabia’s oil production.
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Washington condemned the attacks as a “act of war” but neither the Saudisnor the United States have overtly retaliated.
Tensions have soared in the Gulf in recent months with a series of attackson oil infrastructure and tankers, raising fears of a war between thearch-rivals.
Iran has denied any involvement.
