The New York Times: Trump defends Saudi Arabia but does not seek war on Iran

Though the administration has not ruled out the option of a military response to last week's attacks on Saudi Aramco oil facilities, US officials say President Donald Trump is focusing on defending Saudi Arabia and not seeking war. On Iran.

The newspaper pointed out that the military reinforcements that the US administration decided to send to Saudi Arabia and the UAE in response to the attacks, which Washington blamed Tehran, aimed at defending the oil installations in the two countries.

It cited US Defense Secretary Mark Esper as describing the decision to send US troops to the kingdom as "defensive in nature," and said Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates had asked for more support from the United States.

It also quoted Pentagon officials as saying that the Pentagon would deploy additional anti-missile batteries in Saudi Arabia. Military reinforcements to the kingdom could include additional warplanes, and did not rule out extending the duration of the aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln in the region.

Military option
The newspaper quoted General Joseph Danford Jr., chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, appreciating the force the US administration plans to send to the region hundreds of soldiers.

According to Pentagon officials, Trump's response to the attacks that have confused energy markets around the world and that the US Secretary of State considered a "war action", indicates his reluctance to adopt a military option against Tehran at the moment.

Although US officials increasingly believe Iran is responsible for the attacks, which has been strengthened in recent days, Trump's response has so far been limited to tougher economic sanctions and more military reinforcements to the region to protect sensitive facilities in the two allies.

Trump announced last Friday a new round of sanctions against Iran's central bank, and information indicates that the US administration is considering a range of additional measures against Iran, including more cyber attacks.

Trump's frequency
The New York Times report pointed out that the remarks of the US president in recent days reflect his hesitation about adopting the military option to respond to attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

Trump said Friday that he could order a military strike on Iran in response to the attacks within a minute, and said his reluctance to use force should be seen as an indication of strength, not weakness.

According to the New York Times, the US president and his secretary of state will seek to press for a diplomatic front against Iran at the UN General Assembly meeting next week.