As Iran continues to harass the entire Middle East, the Pentagon has announced new plans to combat Tehran’s terrorism.

Over the course of the last few months, Iran has been explosively meddling with the oil infrastructure of the Middle East.  Several oil tankers, a key pipeline, and now a Saudi Arabian oil refinery have all been attacked using a variety of tactics.  Every one of these incidents has been attributed to Iran within the international community.

Now, after a request from Saudi Arabia, American troops and military assets will be deployed to the Kingdom.

“The president has approved the deployment of U.S. forces which will be defensive in nature and primarily focused on air and missile defense,” U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper said at a news conference Friday.

Answering reporters’ questions about the deployment, Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described the troop deployment as “modest” and “not thousands.”

Dunford said he planned to confer with U.S. Central Command and Saudi officials to work out details of the deployment, which he said would be announced next week.

Critics of the decision have pointed to the Saudi-sponsored murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi as a reason for the US to distance itself from the situation.