Washington (CNN) The US will deploy thousands of additional troops to the Middle East as tensions with Iran mount following the airstrike that killed Iranian commander Qasem Soleimani, a US defense official tells CNN. The additional troops will come from the Immediate Response Force of the 82nd Airborne Division. The Pentagon later confirmed the deployment in a statement provided to CNN. CNN has previously reported that these forces had been placed on prepare-to deploy orders and would be sent to the region if the situation merited it. Following the disturbance at the US Embassy in Baghdad earlier this week, the US deployed 750 troops from the same unit and said that additional deployments were possible.

Source: CNN January 03, 2020 17:34 UTC