Trump ordered ‘moderate’ deployment of troops to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s oil: report

President Donald Trump ordered U.S. troops to the Middle East, the Department of Defense announced Friday.

"President Trump has approved a 'moderate' deployment of troops to the Middle East to help Saudi Arabia defend itself against Iran, senior Pentagon leaders said in a brief news conference late Friday afternoon," Defense One reports.

"The deployment will be 'defensive in nature' and primarily concentrated on air and missile defense, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joe Dunford said, but provided no details about the precise number of troops to be sent," the publication reported. "Dunford said that the number would be 'not thousands.'”

The announcement comes less that one week after state-owned Aramco oil plants in Saudi Arabia were attacked by drones.

The Trump administration believes Iran was behind the attack.