The US has deployed two additional Patriot missile batteries to Saudi Arabia and Qatar to protect energy infrastructure from aerial threats, according to a new report, reinforcing the urgent need to defend allied energy infrastructure ahead of potential renewed strikes on Iran. The report came before Thursday's news that the Department of War is sending a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps ships to the region.
Axios reported late Thursday that one Patriot battery was sent last month to protect a key Saudi oil facility, while another was deployed to defend a natural gas plant in Qatar.
"The U.S. military transferred batteries and interceptors to the Middle East from other regional commands, raising concerns about readiness in other parts of the world," the report said.
Trump told reporters yesterday that he was considering renewing a bombing campaign in the coming weeks. "Now I have to make a decision: either Iran signs the deal, or it won't exist any longer," he warned.
The urgent need for two more Patriot batteries in the region, designed to intercept aircraft, cruise missiles, certain ballistic missiles, and one-way attack drones, comes as Iran and proxy forces have hit critical energy infrastructure in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
The latest attack on Saudi infrastructure came last month, when Iranian proxies hit the critical East-West pipeline, rendering it inoperable for weeks. Flows were restored only last week. Meanwhile, the latest Goldman data shows Hormuz crude flows have returned to pre-war levels as Tehran's grip on the critical maritime chokepoint erodes.
Also overnight, a report said the DoW is preparing to send a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marine Corps ships to the Middle East, adding 9,000 to 10,000 more troops to the region. That news sent Brent crude futures to nearly $104 a barrel overnight, but the oil benchmark slipped below $100 as trading moved through Asia and Europe and into the early US session.
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