US looks to bolster Middle East defenses as strikes against Houthis ramp up
The Trump administration green-lit a $100 million sale of air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia as the Pentagon weighs deployments of additional air defense assets to the region.
WASHINGTON — The Pentagon is preparing additional deployments of military forces to the Middle East, including air defense systems, as US naval and air strikes pounded Houthi positions in Yemen for the sixth consecutive day.
American commanders requested the new deployments as a precaution in case the Houthis or Iran attempt to retaliate against US assets or neighboring countries, Al-Monitor has learned.
Details of the specific military assets and their destinations are not immediately clear.
Air-to-air defenses: Meanwhile, the US State Department announced plans to sell $100 million worth of advanced air-to-air missiles for Saudi Arabia’s air force — a further sign that Washington is preparing for the possibility of a drawn-out campaign against the dug-in Yemeni rebels.
